


Natalya's Plot

by squidney24



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: F/F, Natalya trying to wrangle together a group of idiots, also some Charlynch angst, and surprise angst from another character, into getting two other idiots together, plus a twist at the end, this is really just mass hijinks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-09-15 20:25:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 91,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16940115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squidney24/pseuds/squidney24
Summary: Natalya is fed up with Bayley and Sasha running around in circles pining for each other but never making a move. Wanting to help her best friends, she pulls together a gang of girls to meddle in Sasha and Bayley's love life.The plan is simple: make Sasha jealous enough to explode and confess her feelings.However, with this group of girls, the plan turns out to be a lot more complicated than Natalya anticipated. Natalya swears that this group of idiots is going to be the death of her.





	1. Plan A: Asuka

**Author's Note:**

> Shameless plug: My Tumblr is bisexualshrug.
> 
> If you guys are looking for massive amounts of angst, please turn around now. If you are look for hints of angst, adorable fluff, and mass hijinks, then you have arrived to the right place.

Natalya Neidhart slowly cracks the door open from the inside of the girl’s locker room. When there is enough space, she cautiously sticks her head out of the door to peer into the hallway. Quickly looking one way then another, Natalya lets out a slight sigh of relief when the two girls are nowhere in sight. Moving her head back inside the locker room, Natalya closes the door and turns back to a room full of women. More specifically, a room full of almost every single woman on the Raw and Smackdown women’s roster that Natalya has gathered today for a specific purpose.

“Okay, ladies. The coast is clear,” Natalya declares to a silent room.

“Clear of what? Why are we even here right now? I have places to be. I want to leave,” Alexa Bliss interjects.

Rolling her eyes and deciding to ignore the girl, Natalya turns back to the task at hand, “So, as you have already probably noticed, I have gathered the entire WWE women’s roster here today except two very specific individuals.”

At that moment, Ember Moon pipes up, “Yeah, where ARE Sasha and Bayley?”

Natalya nods at the question, “Yes. Well, that I do not know exactly. I spoke to Seth and Finn earlier today and told them we needed a distraction. After explaining why I needed them to occupy Sasha and Bayley for a while, they happily agreed to help us out.”

“Us? I do not want to be here right now, and I have nothing to do with any of this,” Alexa interrupts snottily.

Becky Lynch quickly turns to face Alexa with a fierce glare, “Oh, would you shut your mouth for once in your entire life, pipsqueak?”

Alexa jumps back slightly at the glare and cowers down. After a moment, she hesitantly straightens herself back up and primly nods her head, seemingly in agreement with the meeting continuing.

“Okay, but Alexa is right. Why are we here today?” Carmella questions.

“Okay,” Natalya begins, “Let me explain. So, I have gathered you all here today, because it is time to stop Sasha and Bayley.”

Unable to help herself, Alexa again inserts herself into the conversation, “Yes! Finally, we can agree on something. Let’s ruin their lives,” Alexa begins to fumble through her backpack, “Hold on. I have a list of ideas somewhere in here.”

As Alexa fumbles through her bag with a concentrated look on her face, the room stares at the girl in confusion. After a moment, a quick “Aha!” is heard, and Alexa pulls a heavily used notepad out of her bag. Charlotte Flair snatches the notepad from the girl easily, tears the pages in half, and throws the pieces on the floor.

Alexa gasps, “How dare you? I’ve worked on that for months!”

“Yeah, and now you’re done working on it,” Charlotte emphatically declares, “Natalya, please continue.”

Alexa looks as if she is about to speak up again but glares from almost every woman in the room lead her to change her mind. Instead, the woman silently shrinks down into her seat, wisely deciding to remain quiet for the rest of this meeting.

Natalya lets out a sigh, not surprised that this gathering of...unique women is already turning into a disaster. The woman steels herself though, determined to help her two best friends be happy. And, if Sasha and Bayley won’t make a move on their own, then Natalya has decided that a little encouragement is all they need.

“I did not mean we should ruin their lives,” Natalya shoots a momentary glare at Alexa, “I actually meant we need to finally end this sad, mutual pining they are in the middle of and get them together. Bayley and Sasha couldn’t be more in love, yet both are acting like they are the only one. Ladies, it is time we stop this.”

Most of the women in the room nod their heads. It is obvious to the entire locker room that the Boss 'n' Hug Connection is definitely more than just a tag team, but more than just friends too. Bayley follows Sasha around backstage like a puppy, never stops talking about her, and stares at her sadly across the room whenever Sasha isn’t paying attention to her. The other woman is even worse. Sasha is a fierce, independent, and ambitious woman who immediately drops everything around her to do whatever Bayley wants. She has also spent several nights in the company of Becky and Charlotte, drunkenly crying about how pretty and kissable Bayley’s face is.

Becky pipes up, “The Man is amenable to stopping this.”

Charlotte rolls her eyes at her ex-girlfriend’s continued use of this moniker, even when they are backstage with no cameras or fans in sight. However, also wanting to help her friends, Charlotte says nothing. But, The Queen can’t stop a scoff from leaving her mouth. At the sound, Becky turns to glare at Charlotte before focusing on Natalya again.

“How would we go about stopping this, and what would The Champ’s role be?” Becky finishes, patting the belt on her shoulder proudly. Again, Charlotte rolls her eyes and scoffs quietly.

Natalya pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration. She can already feel her blood pressure slowly rising. She knew beforehand that this was not going to be easy, but actually being in the presence of this lunacy is pushing her limits. Taking a deep breath, Natalya attempts to go to her happy place before she continues, “Well, Becky, I haven’t yet planned the entire thing out, so roles would be decided as we go. What I do know is that the girls will not make a move of their own volition, so they need a little….nudging.”

Charlotte nods her head in agreement, “You’re right. But what kind of nudging are we talking about here?”

“I’m glad you asked, Charlotte,” Natalya begins, “So, we can all agree that Sasha can be too possessive of Bayley and maybe a little jealous of anyone who gets too close to her, right?”

Natalya looks out at a room of women nodding their heads in agreement. Some, who have experienced Sasha’s acts of aggression, are nodding a little more enthusiastically. Most enthusiastic of all is Carmella, who, in addition to her nod, lets out a loud, “YES!” After noticing that she was the only one said anything out loud, Carmella visibly shrinks back down into her seat.

At the unanimous agreement, Natalya smiles, “The plan is obvious then. We need to make Sasha jealous.”

The room is completely silent for a moment.

A nervous Carmella questions, “Are we…paying other people to make Sasha jealous…or..?”

Natalya shakes her head in confusion, “No, why would we need to do that? We are in a room full of beautiful, powerful, and talented women. All who know Bayley well. One of us would be more likely than anyone else to pull a reaction from Sasha.”

Peyton Royce hesitantly replies, “Um… I’m not so sure about this.”

Her girlfriend Billie Kay agrees quietly, “Yeah. I don’t know if this is the best idea, Natalya.”

Natalya looks confused at this point. She had spent weeks thinking of this plan. It was perfect. The girls set up a scenario where they separate Sasha from Bayley, keep Bayley in Sasha’s line of sight, send one of the girls in to flirt with Bayley, and wait for Sasha to explode while accidentally confessing her feelings in the process. Bayley would immediately cry, tell Sasha she loves her too, and her two best friends would finally be happy together. There was no way this plan could go wrong. It was foolproof.

“Why does no one seem that excited about the plan?” Natalya questions with a confused expression.

For the first time, Naomi speaks up, “Girl, nobody in here’s got a death wish.”

At this, all the girls in the room nod their heads again. Light murmurs of agreement begin to pierce the silence of the locker room.

Natalya shakes her head, “What are you talking about? A death wish?”

Ember Moon is the next to speak, “Look, Natalya. Sasha and Bayley are my friends too, but Naomi is right. If I was to flirt with Bayley, and Sasha saw…Well, I don’t think being her friend would stop Sasha from attempted murder.”

Natalya, seeing waning enthusiasm for her plan, interjects, “Sasha isn’t going to hurt anyone. And, even if she tries to, there are enough of us there to stop her. We can plant all of us around the area. That way, if Sasha tries to do something, all of us will be there to protect each other. We can do this, guys.”

The room goes quiet again, all the girls seem to be contemplating the plan. Most of the girls seem to want to help Sasha and Bayley but are scared to face an angry, possessive Sasha Banks.

Natalya, feeling the tides beginning to turn, leaps at the opportunity to win supporters, “Guys, we are all Sasha and Bayley’s friends. We see them together every day. Sasha makes Bayley happy, and Bayley makes Sasha better. They are selfless and kind and giving to each other always. And we’ve all seen them look at each other. They deserve to be happy. And, as long as they aren’t together, they will never be truly happy. But, we can give that to them. We can help them, and we should. Together.”

All the girls in the room listened raptly to Natalya’s argument. Some were emphatically nodding their heads, others looked determined, and a few even looked emotional.  
Natalya had clearly won over most of the women in the locker room.

“So, who’s ready to do this?” Natalya cheers.

“Hold on just a second,” an annoyed Ruby Riott interjects, “Why the hell should I care if Bayley and Sasha are happy? I hate them.”

Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan, the two other members of The Riott Squad, nod their heads in agreement. Natalya’s temper begins to flare again, and she can feel her blood pressure rising. Honestly, she realizes she probably should not have invited The Riott Squad in the first place, due to all the problems the three have had recently with Natalya, Sasha, and Bayley. But, in the spirit of new beginnings and Natalya’s genuine desire to go to any means necessary to see her friends happy, Natalya went against her gut. Apparently, this was the wrong move.

Natalya clenches her jaw and tersely responds, “I thought that maybe some of us would like to turn over a new leaf and help out someone other than themselves for once.”

Ruby smiles meanly. Sarcastically, she shoots back, “Yeah, well, that’s not the first time you’ve been wrong. We’ve got our own problems to worry about. And, actually, we would prefer if Bayley and Sasha stayed unhappy.” Turning and nodding at each of her girls, Ruby orders, “Come on, girls. We are out of here.”

Ruby begins to make her way out of the room with Sarah and Liv trailing obediently behind her. Nia Jax and Tamina stand up next. At the action, Becky immediately shoots a harsh glare at the woman who injured her and took her out of the biggest match of her career. Despite the glare, Becky stays quiet for now.

Nia speaks up, “Yeah, we don’t care either. The only thing I care about is Ronda’s belt, so I sure as hell am not concerned about whatever pathetic, juvenile romance is going on between Sasha and Bayley.”

Charlotte huffs in annoyance, “Then, leave. No one in here will stop you.”

Becky, who hadn’t looked away from Nia since she stood up, immediately turns to Charlotte at her words. Feeling the familiar gaze on her, Charlotte turns as well. The two ex-girlfriends lock eyes.

Becky’s face, usually a mask of bravado, seems to soften for a split second. A hint of vulnerability, maybe even regret, shines in her eyes. Recognizing the look immediately, Charlotte’s eyes gaze imploringly at the woman. Charlotte seems to silently beg Becky to stay vulnerable, to let her back in. However, after a few more seconds, Becky’s face suddenly hardens. The Man is back.

Charlotte is once again staring into the eyes of a stranger. Tears swell up in Charlotte’s eyes, but she forces them back. This isn’t about her right now.

During their brief moment, Nia and Tamina had begun to walk out of the room. They seem to have started a flood with Alicia Fox, Dana Brooke, Mickie James, Mandy Rose, and Sonya Deville all standing to leave as well. After their exit, the door slams closed.

Then, Ronda Rousey slowly stands. She raises her head high, and her eyes narrow, “I have a match to prepare for with Nia. She is devoting all of her time to this match, and I should too. Good luck with Sasha and Bayley. I hope they are happy together.”

She leaves the room as well. After her departure, none of the other girls stand to leave. The room lapses into silence for a moment. A sharp voice breaks the silence.

“Why the hell are you still here?”

At Charlotte’s question, everyone in the room turns to face the still-remaining Alexa Bliss. Alexa looks around the room indignantly, “Excuse you? I was invited here, so I am within my rights to stay if I choose.”

Ember follows up, “Okay, but why do you want to stay?”

“My reasons for staying are my business. You haven’t told me why you are staying. I don’t owe you people anything,” Alexa snottily replies, “Anyways, The IIconics are still here, and none of you are asking them why they are staying.”

At this encouragement, Carmella turns to the two girls, “Yeah, why are you guys here too?”

Peyton takes Billie’s hand, “Honestly, we just like to be involved with drama. Also, Billie and I are very happy together, but Bayley is kind of hot. Even though Sasha is scary, we are kind of into the idea of flirting with Bayley.”

Billie nods her hand in solidarity with her girlfriend’s opinion.

Naomi shrugs, “Weird, but whatever. Good enough for me. Anyone else leaving?”

Asuka interjects, “I am also staying. Bayley is nice, and I like to fight Sasha.”

Naomi nods her head, “Nice. Everyone else good?”

The remaining girls nod their heads.

“Alright. I’m in too. Natalya, what do we do now?”

Natalya nods her head. It’s time to start planning. After they succeed, her girls will finally be together. Maybe they will even double date with Tyson and her. But, that is not the most important part. The important part is that they are together. And, they are happy. Above all, Natalya knows that. When the plan works, and Bayley and Sasha are together, they will finally be happy.

“Here’s what we need to do first,” Natalya begins.

But, she is interrupted at that moment by the door bursting open. The newly formed team turn to see a giggling Sasha and Bayley stumbling into the room. In the midst of the conversation, the two are looking directly at each other. Natalya glances down and notices their hands are interlocked. As they continue to make their way into the room, Sasha and Bayley look up, finally noticing the group of girls inside.

Sasha’s face instantly morphs from a carefree, happy expression to a critical expression, “What are you all doing in here?”

Bayley smiles, “Guys! Hi! What are you doing in here?”

The girls all shuffle around nervously before Naomi lies, “We all just wandered in and started talking. What about you?”

Sasha has again shifted her expression from critical to generally bored and stays silent as Bayley happily steps up to carry the conversation, “We were about to gather our stuff together and head back to our hotel room for the night. We wanted to get back early and watch some old matches on the WWE Network before leaving on that early flight tomorrow.”

At the knowledge that they are sharing another hotel room together, the girls glance at each other knowingly. Charlotte is almost positive that the hotel room has one bed. And, if she confronted them about it, then they would make the same convenient excuse they’ve made dozens of times— that they share a bed only because the rooms are cheaper. Then, after Sasha uttered the lie, she would guiltily stare down at her shoes while Bayley gazed at her best friend longingly. They have never admitted it, but knowing how physically affectionate Bayley is with everyone, Charlotte is sure they cuddle every night in those beds. Then, in the morning, they wake up tangled together and pretend it’s just friendship. But, it’s all pretending. All lying. And Charlotte is so tired of lies.

“Aw, that’s sweet, Bayley,” Carmella coos.

Sasha shoots a slight glare at the woman as Bayley thanks Carmella and bounds over to embrace her friend tightly. The other girls watch as Sasha looks down at her feet silently until Bayley returns to her side. After Bayley returns to Sasha, the girls notice as Sasha pretends to be glancing around the room whilst “accidentally” nudging her hand into Bayley’s until the taller woman interlocks their fingers. Sasha looks down at their hands with a gentle smile on her face, seemingly oblivious to the room of girls watching her.

At that, Alexa abruptly stands from her bench, “I’m going. I have somewhere better to be than a smelly locker room with all of you losers.”

Sasha looks up with a sneer on her face, “Good. No one wants you here anyway. Be a bitch somewhere else.”

Bayley frowns at Sasha’s words but remains silently by her side. Alexa’s eyes linger on Bayley for an instant before glaring harshly at Sasha, “I think out of everyone here you’ve fully claimed the bitch moniker, Sasha.”

Bayley’s frown hardens at the words. She takes a slight step forward before thinking better of escalating the argument. Instead, she silently tugs Sasha away from Alexa and toward their lockers to begin collecting their things. Alexa hesitates for a split second before grabbing her bag and hastily exiting the room, slamming the door on her way out.

“She’s the bitch,” Sasha mutters pettily when the doors swings closed.

The remaining girls watch Bayley rub her arm soothingly, “I know, sweetie.” The tension seems to drain out of Sasha’s body at the words, and she leans unconsciously into Bayley’s touch. Bayley moves her hand into Sasha’s hair, scratching her scalp silently. Sasha lets a light hum leave her throat at the feeling. Bayley leans further into Sasha and quietly whispers some words into her ear. Natalya strains to hear them, but Bayley is speaking too softly. Sasha relaxes even further at Bayley’s words, sagging into her side for a moment, and then straightening to finish gathering her things.

The other girls remain silent, quietly observing their interaction. Natalya smiles at her two oblivious friends, knowing that soon her plan will be well on its way to success. And, with how in love the two of them are, it will be an especially easy win in Natalya’s corner. A few moments later, Sasha and Bayley have finished gathering their things and begin to make their exit.

Bayley stops to hug all of the girls while Sasha nods her goodbyes to Natalya, Becky, and Charlotte. After Bayley finishes her rounds, she grabs Sasha’s hand and cheerily says, “Goodbye, guys! Have a nice night! I’ll see you on the flight tomorrow!”

Sasha lets out a simple, “Later, losers,” before tugging Bayley’s hand toward the door. Bayley waves at the girls brightly before moving past Sasha to hold the door open for the girl. They make their exit from the room and the door swings closed behind them, leaving the group of girls minus Alexa behind them.

Carmella gushes excitedly, “That was so cute! Did you see Sasha nudging Bayley to get her to hold her hand? And then, Sasha humming when Bayley scratched her head? I would get a slap if I even tried to touch Sasha, but she was leaning into all of Bayley’s touches like an affectionate cat.”

Natalya lets out a bright smile, “I told you, guys. This is going to make them so happy.”

The other girls nod at Natalya’s statement. The room seems to have brightened with a newfound excitement for their plan.

Peyton pipes up, “I agree with Carmella. They were cute. But, more importantly, Bayley looked really hot. Did you see her stepping forward to protect Sasha when Alexa called her a bitch? Ugh, god.”

Billie nods her head and both girls stare off for a moment dreamily.

“Y’all are nasty,” Naomi replies with a disgusted expression.

A pause lingers for a moment in the room.

“Ignoring that,” Charlotte begins, “What is our plan? How are we doing this?”

Natalya’s face returns to a serious expression as she begins formulating ideas in her head. The girls remaining in the room are Charlotte, Becky, Naomi, Ember, Asuka, Peyton, Billie, Carmella, and herself. For now, Natalya is going to assume that Alexa, despite storming out earlier, is also still involved. Most of the girls would simply be stationed around the area for protection, but one of them is needed to actually flirt with Bayley. Natalya and Naomi are both married, so they are out. Charlotte and Becky would not seem as believable as some of the others due to the fact that, although broken up, both are still clearly in love with each other. Natalya stuffs that information away for a moment. A different plan for a different day.

After taking all of them out of the equation that leaves Carmella, Ember, Asuka, Alexa, and both of the IIconics. Carmella seemed terrified at even the thought of exposing herself to a furious Sasha. Out of all of the girls, Natalya believes Sasha might actually murder Alexa if she so much as gets in Bayley’s personal space. The IIconics are out due to their weird fascination with Bayley, which leave Ember and Asuka as the two best options.

Voicing her thoughts to the girls, Natalya finishes her reasoning, “That leaves Ember and Asuka as our two options. So, which one of you wants to do it?”

Before Ember can say anything, Asuka jumps in, “Flirting is easy. I will flirt with Bayley.”

“You know Sasha might kill you, right?” Carmella cautions.

Asuka shakes her head, “Sasha is not scary. I will handle her easily.”

All the girls in the room glance around at each other. Out of them all, Asuka is the most likely to be able to handle an irate Sasha. Naomi looks at Natalya and shrugs her shoulders.

“Alright,” Natalya acquiesces, “Let’s start planning then, ladies. First, I think it might be good to—“

Asuka interrupts the conversation, “No plan. A plan is a waste of time. I can do it easily.”

The girls look dumbfounded as Natalya looks at Asuka with a confused expression.

Natalya hesitantly asks, “Are you sure?”

Asuka simply replies, “Yes.”

Natalya again looks at Naomi for a moment before responding, “Um… okay, then. I guess that makes things easier, right? All of us can be around the area just in case something goes awry. When should we do this?”

Naomi suggests, “We should do it next week during Smackdown. Because of the Mixed Match Challenge, most of the Raw girls will be there to help out. Sasha usually stays behind to wait for Bayley anyway, and any girl that wouldn't normally be there can just make an excuse to stay behind.”

Becky nods, “That is good with The Champ.”

The other girls in the room nod their heads, none finding a valid problem with the suggestion.

Natalya looks at Asuka, “Are you ready for that?”

Asuka shrugs, “Yes, I am ready.”

“Okay, then we are a go. Asuka is going to handle the flirting, but we still need to make sure all of us, including Sasha and Bayley, will be in the same area together,” Natalya adds.

“Let’s just do it right at the end of Smackdown,” Charlotte suggests, “Daniel and AJ are in the main event, so all of us will be backstage. Since Mixed Match Challenge is about to start, Bayley will surely already be in the building. And, if Bayley is somewhere, more likely than not, Sasha will have made up some excuse to be there as well.”

Ember voices her agreement, “Good idea. How are we going to get us all in the same spot though? Where are we doing this?”

The girls sit silently in contemplation for a moment before Becky rolls her eyes, “Just do it in catering. Bayley is always hungry anyway. It won’t be difficult to get her in there, and Sasha is just going to follow her around.”

Billie adds, “And, it wouldn’t be suspicious that we were all there.”

“I can get them to catering. I’m usually with them backstage before Mixed Match Challenge,” Charlotte suggests.

“And, I can come up with some reason to pull Sasha away from Bayley,” Becky continues.

“Alright,” Natalya nods, “Does anybody have any complaints?”

Once again, the girls all shake their heads.

“Okay,” Natalya declares with a smile, “The plan is set. We will all be stationed discreetly around catering during Smackdown Live. Charlotte will lure Bayley and Sasha to the area. Becky will separate Sasha from Bayley, but make sure Sasha is still within hearing distance. Asuka will approach Bayley and begin flirting. The rest of us will remain close in case Sasha goes ballistic. Then, Sasha and Bayley will do the rest of our job for us.”

The girls seem to be in agreement, and the conversation comes to a natural close.

After a pause, Billie says, “Okay. So, can we, like, leave now?”

“Um, yeah. I guess we’re done here,” Natalya replies.

The girls all stand to pack together their stuff. Light conversation continues between them as they exit the door and head to their rental cars. As the girls fall asleep in their hotel rooms that night, they think about their plan set for next week. And they feel excited to be able to finally help their friends.

 

X

 

On the night of Smackdown, the girls all prepare separately for the plan. Earlier that week, Natalya had located Alexa and confirmed that, for whatever reason, she seemed to still be interested in being involved with the plan. Natalya informed her of the details while Alexa seemed to half pay attention, her lack of attention not surprising Natalya in the slightest. Charlotte thought of a strategy to lure her two friends to catering, while Becky contemplated a reason to separate Sasha from Bayley. The rest of the girls had been waiting anxiously for the night.

All except for Asuka, who did not think much about her role, for she already knew exactly what to do to achieve success.

As the main event of the night crept closer, Charlotte found her two friends easily. Charlotte thanked their luck that Bayley had decided to arrive early while Sasha accompanied her. The two girls were, as always, together. They were sitting in the locker room as Bayley prepared for her match with Finn later in the night. Approaching the two girls, Bayley spotted Charlotte first, excitedly getting up to greet and hug her friend.

Sasha nodded at Charlotte, greeting the woman with a simple, “Hey.”

Charlotte engaged in light conversation before subtly beginning her part of Natalya’s plot, “Hey, Bayley. Are you hungry at all? I could use some food after my match tonight and was going to head over to catering. Do you guys want to come too?’

Sasha turns to look at Bayley, leaving the decision up to her. Whatever Bayley’s decision, Charlotte is positive that Sasha will just agree to do whatever Bayley wishes. That has become extremely characteristic of Sasha over the past few years. It’s equal parts cute and a little pathetic in Charlotte’s opinion. Charlotte pushes away the thought that she also used to follow Becky around like that.

Bayley speaks up, “Actually, food sounds really great right now! I’m kind of hungry anyways. Sash, are you going to come along?”

Sasha nods, “Sure. We going now?”

Bayley smiles at Sasha’s statement and turns to look at Charlotte, waiting for her to answer Sasha’s question. Glancing at the clock on the wall quickly and seeing that it is indeed main event time, Charlotte suggests they head out now. Both girls agree, and all three leave the room as they walk toward catering. Bayley excitedly wonders aloud as to what kind of food will be available and begins to name off some food she might grab from the tables. Charlotte listens to the girl patiently and watches Sasha smile fondly at Bayley. Pathetic.

The three girls arrive at catering, and Charlotte subtly looks around the room to make sure all the girls are in their places. Seeing that everyone is ready, Charlotte leads the girls over to the catering table nearest to Becky. Asuka has smartly planted herself close to Becky as well, but not close enough to draw attention. Bayley eagerly grabs a plate and begins stacking massive amounts of food on it while Sasha observes quietly, staying close to her side. Noticing both are distracted at the moment, Charlotte turns to look at Becky and nods her head, indicating that it is now time for Becky’s role in the plan. Becky nods back before walking over to Sasha.

“Hey, can I talk to you about something for a second?” Becky asks when she reaches Sasha’s side.

Sasha raises an eyebrow, “Sure. What’s up?”

Becky hesitates before responding quietly, “I was wondering if we could move a little bit away. I need to tell you something. It’s about Bayley.”

Immediately, Sasha tenses. Before this, Sasha was still watching Bayley carefully with her arms crossed, facing away from Becky as they talked. Now, Sasha’s interest becomes immediately apparent as she turns to face Becky fully with a concerned expression.

“What is it?” Sasha demands.

Becky pushes forward with the plan, “Look. Let’s just move over to the next table, and I will tell you there.”

Sasha rolls her eyes, frustrated with Becky refusing to just tell her, “Ugh, whatever. Fine. Let’s go.”

At that, Sasha immediately moves ahead to the next table without looking back at Becky. As both girls arrive at the table, Becky begins to stall as Sasha grows increasingly irritated with the girl. However, Sasha does not leave out of concern for her…friend. But, she begins to face Bayley again, making sure she can still hear and see the woman. Sasha relaxes as she notices the woman still loading food onto her plate.

After a few moments, Becky notices Sasha immediately begin to tense again. Becky smirks, knowing she has completed her role in the plan and Asuka has begun the next stage. Becky continues to talk but notices at this point that Sasha has stopped paying attention to her entirely.

Around them, Sasha is not the only one paying close attention. All of the newly formed group have kept their word and are watching discreetly as Asuka initiated her conversation with Bayley. They had no idea what was truly being said though, as they all had placed themselves out of earshot to avoid suspicion.

Natalya observed the interaction nervously. She knew this needed to succeed because it might be their only opportunity. She prayed that Asuka would be able to pull this off well. Looking over to Sasha, Natalya felt pleased. There was already a hint of irritation apparent on Sasha’s face, and Asuka’s conversation with Bayley had just begun. Believing her plan was about to succeed, a grin appeared on Natalya’s face. She turned her attention back to Asuka and cheered silently in her head. Asuka had moved in closer to the girl and had just placed her hand casually on Bayley’s bicep.

‘Oh my God. It’s about to happen,’ Natalys thinks right before all hell breaks loose.

All of the girls watch in horror as Asuka suddenly tightened her grip on Bayley’s bicep and twisted her into a hammerlock. Bayley froze momentarily in surprise, but Sasha immediately leapt into action. Rushing over to Asuka, she immediately grabbed the woman and shoved her roughly away from Bayley.

Natalya stands to her feet in shock.

Sasha stood in front of Bayley and yelled, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Asuka, completely unperturbed by the escalation, calmly replies, “I was attempting to play wrestle.”

Sasha’s eyebrows furrow and she sarcastically responds, “Oh, sweetie,” she smirks meanly, “We sure are about to play at something.”

Almost all of the wrestlers in the area immediately jump into action as Sasha lunges toward Asuka trying to get a hold of the woman. Asuka herself shows no panic and stands perfectly still as several wrestlers hold back a screaming Sasha Banks.

Finally unfreezing and taking in the situation in front of her, Bayley moves in front of Sasha and gently places both of her hands on Sasha’s cheeks.

“Honey,” Bayley coaxes gently, “I need you to calm down. She was just kidding, and this is only going to get you in trouble.”

Sasha is still struggling to break free from the hold, “She tried to hurt you! I’m going to kill that bitch!”

Bayley sighs and moves closer, resting her forehead against Sasha, “Calm down. I’m okay. Nothing is wrong. I don’t want you to get yourself in any trouble, okay? Please, honey. Just relax.”

Everyone in the room waits tensely as they watch Sasha begin to relax. The fight slowly drains out of the fiery woman as she leans slightly further into Bayley’s touch, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

After a few more seconds, Sasha quietly sighs, “Okay, I’m alright.”

“You’re calm?” Bayley smiles, head still resting against Sasha.

A tiny grin breaks out on Sasha’s face, “As I can be.”

“Okay,” Bayley mutters softly and pulls her head back, “Let her go, guys.”

The wrestlers who had stopped Sasha’s assault let go of her and Bayley immediately moves to wrap the still-disgruntled woman in her arms. Returning Bayley’s embrace gently, Sasha looks over Bayley’s shoulder at Asuka. Shooting a fierce glare at her, Sasha mouths, ‘You’re dead meat in the ring.’ Then, she closes her eyes and rests her head on Bayley’s shoulder, nuzzling slightly into her neck.

The group of women still watching the scene all sigh in annoyance at their failed plan. Natalya shakes her head in disappointment and walks away from catering. Some of the girls depart but others linger in the area. Either way, almost all of them are disappointed that the plan had failed.

 

X

 

A few days later, Natalya had gotten together another meeting of the Baysha Squad (a name given to them by Naomi, which she always shortens to BS). Natalya hates this name fiercely, but Naomi declared it was staying unless someone else came up with another name. Suffice to say, no one else came up with a name.

The girls all shuffle into the room quietly and take their seats. Natalya stands at the head of the room shaking her head in frustration. There is a long, tense silence that lingers in the room until Naomi breaks its abruptly.

“Girl, what in the hell was that?” Naomi exclaims, bursting the heavy silence in the room.

“Play wrestling is flirting. That is obvious to everyone,” Asuka declares proudly.

Alexa snorts, “Um, no it is not. That’s actually very not obvious to anyone.”

Peyton and Billie nod their heads in agreement with the sentiment while Natalya just rubs her hand against her forehead, trying to ward off her incoming headache. This plan was supposed to be simple, but instead, this attempt was an embarrassing failure. Asuka’s brand of flirting ended in chaos, attempted assault, and no declaration of love from either Sasha or Bayley. It couldn’t have gone worse.

Ember speaks up, “So, what do we do now, guys? Are we giving up?”

Natalya immediately rejects the idea, “No, we can’t give up now. We’ve just started. Our first try was…bad.”

Natalya pauses momentarily as all the girls turn to glare at Asuka. Asuka shows no visible reaction to the glares, simply waiting for Natalya to continue.

“But, just because we failed once doesn’t mean we give up. Guys, just look at how Sasha and Bayley interacted after Asuka’s…um…flirting. Sasha jumped to her defense, but Bayley managed to calm her down almost instantly. I am sure now more than ever that they are in love, and they belong together. We have to stick with this. Will you guys help me give it one more try?”

The girls in the room all look around at each other.

Naomi speaks up, “I’m down for one more go. No way we can do worse than last time.”

“Sasha and Bayley are my best friends. I’m in too,” Charlotte declares.

Becky agrees too, “Whatever. Being The Champ is too easy anyway. The Man needs some kind of challenge.”

The other girls in the room agree to give it one more shot as well. All except one.

Natalya turns to Alexa, “Are you willing to help us again?”

Alexa sits still for a moment, seemingly lost in thought about something. Then, she carefully morphs her face into an irritated mask, “Ugh, whatever. It’s not like I have anything better to do.”

Most of the girls in the room roll their eyes at the typical response. Charlotte, however, lingers on Alexa’s strange pause for a moment. Deciding to let it go, for now, Charlotte turns back to Natalya, “What are we doing next?”

Natalya directs her eyes toward Ember Moon, “You ready for this?”

Her only response is a firm nod.


	2. Plan B: Ember Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shameless self-plug: My Tumblr is bisexualshrug.
> 
> Now, this one will be a tad different from the introduction chapter. Starting here, each chapter will dive a little bit into the head(s) of the girl(s) who are going to flirt with Bayley in the chapter. I want to add some perspective on what is going on in their minds to help everyone understand why they ultimately fail or succeed. So, we will get some character Ember moments along with the usual group antics.

Ember Moon had never considered herself much of a boy magnet. In fact, most of her life was spent largely shying away from boys. She would hide away in her room, playing games, watching old movies, or practicing wrestling moves on her pillow. Ember didn’t really consider herself antisocial, more independent than anything. She enjoyed the company of others often, because who doesn’t need social interaction sometimes. But, there was just something about spending time alone with her own mind. It calmed Ember down. Gave her time to sort out her thoughts and emotions alone.

Hiding away in her room, Ember could let all of her emotions run free without fearing anyone’s reactions. Most of the time, there really wasn’t a huge dramatic outburst. Ember has never been an overly emotional person. She’s passionate and driven, but not emotional. But everyone feels sometimes. And, in those moments, it was nice to have that room. That time alone. So, most of the time, that’s what Ember did. The consequence of this was she never really got much experience in relationships. She didn’t flirt with many boys, because she never really needed to.

The boys she did speak with were never interested in her romantically. She was always just one of the guys.

But that never really bothered her. Ember had better things to do than sit around mooning over some boy. She had better things to accomplish in life and more enjoyable things to spend her time doing. So, Ember only went on a few dates throughout high school. And, sure, she’s been on a few more since graduating but nothing ever really turned into something truly serious. There were a few flings that lasted a couple months, but Ember more stumbled into those relationships than actively pursued a man. With the men she has dated, there wasn’t this long period of flirting or the thrill of a chase. Ember just turned around, and she was dating a boy. Not much flirting needed.

All of this is to say that Ember didn’t really know how to flirt. She wasn’t fully comfortable with it, and that’s largely due to her lack of experience. But, she’s also just naturally more of a keep-to-herself kind of person. Not a serial dater. Never the one with a large group of friends. She never really cared to learn the intricacies of flirting. Ember didn’t see a need for them. She had other things to worry about. She had other passions in her life, and the foremost among them was wrestling. That was Ember’s focus. Not any boy. Not any relationship. Not flirting.

But, now, things were a little different. Asuka had failed. Miserably. Natalya has already knocked all the other girls off as potential flirters. And Bayley and Sasha still weren’t together. Now, things were different. Now, this was all up to Ember.

Ember assumes it will be easier because this isn’t real flirting. Bayley is her friend, and there is no romantic interest there. All Ember has to do is make it look convincing, which surely could not be too difficult. Ember will just keep in mind what the result of all this will be — her two friends together and happy. That’s the important part for Ember. That they are happy because both girls deserve it.

Bayley is the sweetest person Ember has ever met. She is always kind and always genuine and always there. Bayley can always be relied upon to care. If there’s something wrong, Bayley is going to listen, and she is going to go out of her way to help. And, Bayley loves Sasha. Ember doesn’t think she would be much of a friend if she didn’t help Bayley like Bayley has helped her so many times. Even if this was a...convoluted way to go about helping her.

Sasha was very much Bayley’s opposite. She was a little hard to get to know. Ember didn’t like her too much at first. But, as Ember spent more time with Sasha, her opinion slowly changed. Sasha was the opposite of Bayley but not in all the bad ways. She just hid her good parts away. Ember doesn’t really understand why, but she knows Sasha hides. She knows because Ember has seen the mask slip. Sasha is a protective friend. She doesn’t show it in words, but she shows it in actions. Sasha has gone to the mat for Ember several times. It’s time that’s Ember goes to the mat for Sasha.

Just like Natalya, Ember can hardly stand to watch their back-and-forth anymore. It’s equal parts depressing and exhausting. Ember doesn’t think she’s ever seen two people this in love, yet this oblivious. Both clearly understand their own feelings but are terrified to share them with the other. This had been going on for years. Honestly, Ember would say it was even going on as far back as NXT for Sasha. The woman was obsessed with Bayley for no discernible reason. Ember would bet there was already something brewing there. At the time, it would have been something extremely unhealthy. Sasha tortured Bayley, and Ember wouldn’t have wanted Bayley to be with someone like Sasha in a million years.

But, things are different now. Ember has watched the two girls interact, and she’s almost convinced that Sasha is a different person entirely. Most of the girls in the locker room can be a little protective of Bayley. Bayley is the sweet ball of sunshine that the girls don’t ever want to see tainted or ruined by the world. Bayley is her own person and extremely capable of caring for herself, but the girls in the back will step up for Bayley before they will almost anyone else. All of them would admit it too.

But, Sasha is different. She’s almost turned herself into a permanent watchdog for the girl. Ember believes that, now, there is not a single thing Sasha wouldn’t do for Bayley. And, she may think she hides it well, but she doesn’t. It’s apparent in every single one of her actions. Sasha is almost always with Bayley. When she is with Bayley, she’s usually glued to her side. If someone hurts Bayley (in the ring or out), Sasha goes ballistic. Sasha accompanies Bayley to every match she can, and, the second the referee has declared a victor, Sasha is right by Bayley’s side. She’s brushing Bayley’s hair back from her face, checking her for injuries, and asking her if everything feels alright.

Ember has never seen anyone love a person like Sasha loves Bayley. In NXT, Ember would have done everything she could to actively prevent a relationship between Bayley and Sasha. But, Sasha has redeemed herself. Sasha redeems herself every day. She wouldn’t dare to ever lay a single finger on the girl again. She would never throw a single insult her way and shoots shy, soft compliments in Bayley’s direction when she thinks no one else can hear her. It’s the most adorable thing Ember has ever seen in her life.

The only thing that could even get close to matching Sasha’s love for Bayley…is Bayley’s love for Sasha. That girl adores Sasha with every bone in her body. Bayley looks at Sasha like she hung all of the stars in the sky, and Bayley doesn’t even try to hide it. Since being pulled up to the main roster, Ember doesn’t think she’s ever seen Bayley look at Sasha without making Ember worry that literal hearts were about to start shooting from her eyes. Bayley may be affectionate with everyone, but it is on an entirely different level with Sasha. Ember has had several new wrestlers come up and talk about what an adorable couple Bayley and Sasha are before Ember informs them that the two are just friends.

Simply put, Bayley and Sasha belong together. There is no person in this world better for one than the other. And, if Ember can help her friends find that, then she will. Even if the prospect of flirting with one of her friends makes her a little uncomfortable.

Or, if Ember was being honest, a lot uncomfortable.

 

X

 

Natalya directs her eyes toward Ember Moon, “You ready for this?”

Her only response is a firm nod.

 

X

 

After deciding who would be flirting with Bayley on their second try, the girls began to formulate their new plan. Survivor Series was coming up Sunday, and most of the girls were due to be in attendance at the pay-per-view. Ember was not booked for the night but it was very typical of extra superstars to be in the back in case someone needed a quick replacement, there was a change of plans, or the superstar just wanted to support their friend on the card that night. So, it wouldn’t look suspicious if Ember decided to tag along to Survivor Series that night.

All of the girls decided simplicity was the best way to go as well. The plan last time would have worked if not for Asuka’s unexpected assault, so it would make the most sense to repeat the process again, simply subbing in Ember for Asuka. Surely, the plan couldn’t fail twice.

They were all beginning to finalize plans and ideas for the night, when Alexa looked up from filing her nails with a bored expression to say, “You guys know that if we do this plan the exact same way as last time, the girls might catch on eventually. Sasha is a bitch, but she’s not a dumb one.”

Charlotte shoots a glare Alexa’s way after she refers to Sasha as a bitch and retorts, “Why do you care anyway? You haven’t said a word all night.”

Alexa returns to filing her nails and replies, “I don’t care. I just don’t appreciate stupidity, and I like being right. Which I am, by the way. Sasha is going to notice.”

Natalya and Naomi glance at each other silently while the other girls shuffle around nervously. If Sasha catches on to what they are doing, they are all dead meat. Charlotte believes it might even spook Sasha away. The thought of Bayley finding out about Sasha’s feelings and not returning them being enough to ward the woman off from Bayley and the other girls for a while. And, a Sasha who is avoiding Bayley is going to lead to an extremely emotional Bayley. That is something none of the girls want to see.

After a moment Natalya speaks up, “I think that, even if Alexa is wrong, it might be better to be cautious than careless. We can’t mess this up a second time because we were too lazy to think of a new plan.”

Naomi nods her head, “Natalya is right.”

Alexa interjects, “Um, what about me? I just saved all of your asses.”

Charlotte rolls her eyes, “The only thing that would save any of us is if we could pick up a remote and mute your mouth.”

Alexa glares fiercely, “At least I’m not a cheap knock off of an older, superior model. Why don’t you go be pathetic somewhere else?”

At the words, Becky’s jaw locks tightly and her eyes flash with anger. She flinches like she is about to leap out of her seat, but Carmella’s gentle hand on her arm stops Becky in her tracks. Becky takes a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down. The action momentarily draws Charlotte’s attention to Becky, and her eyes fall to Carmella’s hand on her arm. Hurt eyes linger on the touch for a moment before abruptly darting away.

Naomi rolls her eyes, “How about all of you shut up before you give me a migraine?,” Naomi rubs her fingers against her temples tiredly, “I swear to God. I don’t have the energy to deal with y’alls messy, dramatic asses.”

At this point, Natalya can only see this argument escalating if she doesn’t interfere. Trying to bring the conversation back into focus, Natalya asks, “So, does anyone have a new idea that we could use this time? I agree with Alexa. It’s probably best to try something new just in case.”

The girls sit in silence for a moment, each trying to come up with a new plan.

Finally, Peyton breaks the silence, “Why don’t we just do it in the locker room at Survivor Series?”

Billie chimes in, “That’s great! Sasha and Bayley always take showers after their matches, and Bayley usually finishes first. We could send Ember in before Sasha gets out.”

Peyton jumps in again, “Yeah! That way Ember could be flirting with Bayley when Sasha steps out. That is different enough to not make Sasha suspicious!”

Natalya smiles at the two, clearly surprised, “Wow, guys! That’s actually a great idea! Does anybody have any complaints?”

Naomi interrupts, “That’s alright...but why do y’all know so much about Sasha and Bayley showering?” Naomi finishes with a disgusted expression on her face.

All the other girls in the room raise their eyebrows expectantly at Peyton and Billie.

Billie is the one to respond first, with a nervous laugh, “We are just...very observant.”

Peyton interrupts, “Okay, Billie. Let’s just be honest. They look hot coming straight from the shower, and we both have eyes.”

The girls simultaneously let out disgusted noises and groans.

Naomi responds first, “God. Are you two nasties always horny?”

Peyton and Billie each shrug their shoulders, voicing nothing to contradict the statement.

Naomi turns to Natalya, shaking her head, “Should have never let those two stay. I swear to God herself.”

Natalya looks at Naomi imploringly, needing at least one other sane person in the room with her. Naomi understands the look, sighs, and wills herself to put up with this nonsense for a little longer.

Naomi turns to Ember, “You’re cool with this, right? You can back out now if you want.”

Ember hesitates for a moment before letting out a sigh, deciding to push forward with this plan. For Bayley. And for Sasha.

“I’m down.”

Natalya nods, “Okay, then we are set. We don’t need any distractions this time, because the situation is just going to be ready for us.”

Charlotte interjects, “I think it would be kind of weird if every single one of us just so happened to be in the locker room at the exact same moment.”

Asuka speaks up, “I will go in with Ember.”

“NO!” every girl in the room exclaims at the same time.

Asuka huffs and crosses her arms in front of her. She still stubbornly believes that her plan should have worked, and she should be allowed to try again. But Natalya already told her Ember would be stealing her role. The worst part is that she didn’t even get to fight Sasha. Asuka likes to fight Sasha. Sasha is tough and fiery and a warrior.

“Natalya should be in the locker room since she is the leader of the group,” Ember suggests.

The girls in the room all seem to be in agreement.

“Peyton and I should also be in the locker room,” Billie adds.

Naomi shakes her head, “Nah. No way. Out of us all, you two do not need to be in that damn locker room.”

Peyton and Billie each shrink down in disappointment. They haven’t gotten to see a glistening Bayley since Evolution. And, now they’ve gotta wait at least an entire extra month.

Naomi, exhausted at this discussion and wanting to go home with Jimmy already, decides for everyone, “It’s going to be Natalya, Charlotte, and I in that locker room with Ember. End of discussion.”

The women not chosen to be in the room sigh, disappointed at not being able to see everything live. But, they all know better than to start an argument with an irritated Naomi. Even Alexa feels no desire to pester the girl currently. They all just resign themselves to their new roles and decide to hope for the best.

“Okay,” Natalya sighs, “Is there anything else we need to go over before we leave?”

Again, Naomi speaks up, “Ember, do you need any help coming up with your part of the plan? Or do you have a handle on it?”

Ember pauses for a moment in thought. The hesitation apparent in her eyes, but she shakes herself out of it.

“No, I’ll figure it out. I mean, flirting isn’t that difficult, right?” Ember chuckles nervously.

At that statement, all the girls look at Asuka, who doesn’t appear to notice in the slightest. Naomi turns back to look critically at Ember, picking up on the fact that something may be a little off. Deciding to leave it alone for now, she suggests they end the meeting here.

Once again, the girls gather their things while engaging in light conversation. They exit the doors, drive to their hotel rooms for the night, and rest up for the next day.

Most of them hoping for their plans to finally work out this Sunday.

 

X

 

The night before Survivor Series, Ember Moon sits alone in her hotel room. She sits on the hotel bed, knees pulled up to her chest, and arms wrapped around them. She looks around at the ceiling, the walls, and the floors. Just observing. Comparing the room to her old childhood bedroom, where she would spend hours hiding away with herself.

Her parents moved from that house long ago. Some time after Ember had already moved out on her own. But, she always remembers it fondly. She wonders who is staying in the room now. If it’s another child like her, so much more comfortable on her own. Or, if it’s a kid so socially confident that they are hardly ever in the room. Ember hopes that whoever it is, they find comfort in the walls of that room. Just like Ember once did.

Glancing around the room one more time, Ember reminds herself that no one is in here. She is alone. Closing her eyes, Ember finally lets her anxiety wash over her. Anxiety about the events tomorrow. Ember has not had to actively flirt with someone in over a year. And, she genuinely cannot recall a time where she had initiated the flirtation. Especially with someone she knew had zero interest in her.

Ember knows she’s being ridiculous. That’s why she didn’t voice her worries in front of the girls. Ember just doesn’t like being put in situations where she has to worry about someone else’s reactions. To her. About her. Ember likes independence. The only opinion about her that should matter is her own. The only person she should need to depend on is herself.

In this situation, she not only has to rely on Bayley’s reaction, but she has to rely on Sasha’s reactions as well. In fact, everything hinges on Sasha’s reactions.

This is all made even worse by the fact that Ember has no idea how to flirt with Bayley. Is it different when you flirt with a girl? Ember wouldn’t know. She assumes not, but Ember has never been the most adept in social situations.

All of this is combining to give Ember some massive anxiety, and she can feel a headache washing over her. Taking deep breaths to calm herself, Ember lays back on the bed. She stares up at the ceiling and thinks, ‘What have I gotten myself into?’

Knowing that she can’t back out of this, Ember steels herself.

She can do anything.

Even flirt.

With her friend.

Who is in love with someone else.

Oh, God.

 

X

 

It is finally the night of Survivor Series. Charlotte is preparing for her huge match against Ronda Rousey. Naomi, Asuka, Carmella, Bayley, and Sasha are preparing for their women’s match tonight. And Ember is preparing to execute the plan. Natalya found her earlier backstage and made sure she was ready to go through with it one last time. Ember assertively confirmed that she was prepared.

She definitely was not.

But, Ember sat quietly watching the matches go by. She was waiting anxiously for the women’s match to end, and Sasha and Bayley to head back to the locker room. As the number of women left in the match slowly dwindled, Ember’s anxiety began to increase as well.

As Nia pinned Asuka to clinch the victory for Raw, Ember watched Sasha and Bayley pass by her, heading to the locker room. Knowing that was her cue, Ember waited a few moments before following. When Ember entered the locker room, Sasha and Bayley were already in the showers. Ember glanced around the room and noticed Natalya, Naomi, and Charlotte hanging around casually, attempting to look discreet. Naomi made brief eye contact with her and gave her an encouraging nod. Ember took a deep breath and felt her anxiety decrease at the support.

Aimlessly, she got out her phone in an attempt to occupy herself before Bayley came out. She checked Twitter, replied to a few fans, and scrolled through her feed. After a few minutes, Bayley finally made her way out of the showers. She was fully dressed with her hair down and a damp towel around her neck. Ember sat still for a moment, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Charlotte looked at Ember and nudged her head toward Bayley to convey that Ember needed to go over to Bayley now. Once more, Ember took a deep breath before standing shakily and making her way over to Bayley.

“Um. Hi, Bayley.”

Bayley turns to her with a bright smile, “Oh! Hi, Ember! I didn’t expect you to be here tonight. Did you come to watch our matches?”

Attempting to start flirting, Ember tried to lean up against the locker beside her. However, since she tried to do this without looking, she miscalculated the distance without notice. Instead of leaning casually against the locker and smirking at Bayley like she wanted to, Ember missed the locker, awkwardly stumbled, and almost fell over. Thankfully, she was able to catch herself just in time, but not before everyone in the locker room notices. She glances around and hears a quiet, exasperated, “Oh my God,” coming from Naomi. Bayley responds immediately, placing a gentle hand on her arm and asking Ember if she is alright.

Now trying to recover, Ember smiles and replies, “I am now.”

“That’s true. Thank God you didn’t fall,” Bayley replies earnestly.

That was…not the response Ember was looking for. Bayley seems to have completely missed that Ember was trying to flirt with Bayley at all. Instead, the woman just thought Ember was referring to her not falling. Not knowing where to go from here, Ember pauses for a moment. This conveys to Bayley that their conversation is over, and she turns around to continue removing her things from her locker. Ember begins to panic and looks at Natalya, who widens her eyes and mouths, “Go back in.” Nodding, Ember turns back to Bayley, staring at her for a moment trying to think of what she could say.

Bayley is finishing packing her things together when Ember loudly blurts out, “You have nice shoes.”

Bayley jumps momentarily, startled by the sudden, loud compliment. After resettling, she turns back to Ember with a friendly grin, “Thanks! That’s really nice. I like your shoes too.”

At this point, Ember notices Sasha making her way out of the shower. Immediately, Sasha begins to look around for Bayley, spotting her in front of her locker speaking to Ember. Frowning momentarily in confusion, Sasha begins to make her way toward the pair.

Ember notices Sasha heading over and panics, having no clue what to do right now to continue this conversation. Bayley is still looking at her expectantly, and Ember knows it’s only a few moments before Bayley notices Sasha and turns all of her attention to the other woman.

Ember knew this was her last chance and acted on impulse, “Would you want to go out sometime?”

Obliviously, Bayley grins, “Aw, sure! Where do you want to go?”

Sasha has almost made her way over to them at this point and was close enough to hear Ember’s question. Frowning slightly and furrowing her brow, Sasha pauses for a moment. Naomi and Natalya watch Sasha clench her fists together, and they each breathe a momentary sigh of relief. Somehow, Ember has seemed to turn this around by asking Bayley on a date. If she can lock down a time and place and drag out the conversation a little bit, the plan might actually work.

“Um…Uh…I think it would be fun if we,” Ember says as she glances around the room. Her mind has gone alarmingly blank, and somehow she seems to have forgotten every typical date location that exists.

Looking down, Ember notices a quarter someone had dropped on the floor and jerks her head back up to look at Bayley, “Bank…um, let’s go to the bank.”

Bayley looks momentarily confused, “You…want us to go to the bank together?”

Internally, Ember cringes at Bayley’s question, knowing she has definitely reached the point of no return. Knowing she can’t give up yet though, Ember attempts to push through and somehow reach a miraculous recovery.

On the other side of the locker room, Natalya is watching Sasha closely. Before Ember’s....suggestion... Sasha was observing the two critically. Eyes narrowed. Lips pursued. Fists clenched tightly by her side. However, the second Ember suggested going to the bank Sasha’s shoulder relaxed and a huff of laughter escaped. Natalya watched the scene in front of her that resembled a car crash more than anything else. Closing her eyes and bracing for impact, Natalya listens as Ember continues.

Ember stutters out, “Y-Yeah. I...need to go to the bank...to get...some money.”

Bayley’s eyebrows scrunch in confusion, “Why do you want me to come though?”

Ember scratches the back of her head, “Umm. I am scared. Of banks.”

Bayley’s voice becomes more confused, “You’re scared of banks?”

Naomi is watching Sasha trying to disguise her laughter and knows they have reached the point of hopelessness. There is no way Sasha will take any of this seriously now. Sighing irritability, Naomi decides to save her friend from embarrassing herself any further.

“Ember,” Naomi calls out to grab her attention.

Ember and Bayley both turn to acknowledge Naomi. Ember is staring at Naomi despondently while Bayley has finally caught sight of Sasha. Bayley’s face immediately lights up, and she begins to happily traipse over to Sasha’s side.

Naomi lets out another sigh and tries to give Ember a feasible escape from this situation, “Ember, you said you were driving me home tonight, right?”

Ember hesitates then responds, “Um, I don’t think so?”

Ember stares back at Naomi in confusion, perplexed by the disruption. Naomi let’s out a huff and raises her eyebrows insistently. At the look, Ember’s eyes widen, and she realizes what Naomi is doing. Although she’s disappointed that Naomi has apparently deemed the plan a failure for the second time, Ember is relieved to at least be done with the admitted disaster.

“Um...never mind! I just remembered that...I said that. So…”

Natalya worries for a moment that Sasha and Bayley might notice this ridiculous exchange, but the worry dissipates the second she looks at them. The two are huddled closely by Sasha’s locker now. Sasha has opened her locker and began gathering her things together for the night. Bayley is leaning on the locker next to Sasha, watching the girl with a soft smile on her face.

Sasha zips up her bag, closes her locker, and turns to Bayley. Talking quietly to each other for a moment, the two are lost in their own little world. Bayley’s hand reaches up toward Sasha and gently moves a strand of hair out of the girl’s face. Bayley’s hand lingers for a moment, and Sasha leans lightly into the touch. After a few seconds of the two smiling at each other, both girls startle almost simultaneously, jumping back slightly from each other.

Neither acknowledge the moment in words. Sasha glances around the room nervously while Bayley’s hand rubs the back of her neck. Sasha seems to recover from the awkward moment first.

“Bay, are you ready to go?” she questions hesitantly.

Bayley jerks her head up to look at Sasha, “Um, yeah sure. Just...I’ve got to grab my bag.”

Bayley opens the locker beside Sasha and removes her stuff, hoisting her bag on her shoulder. Turning to Sasha, Bayley removes Sasha’s bag from her, placing the strap around herself to carry both of their things. Sasha sighs with a soft smile on her face but does not protest the action. It seems as if they have had this argument many times before, and Sasha realized there was no point. Despite all of Sasha’s protests, Bayley was going to carry Sasha’s bags. That was just Bayley.

Sasha didn’t seem to realize that the only person Bayley carried bags for was her. What Sasha thought was typical Bayley generosity and kindness toward everyone was, in actuality, an action reserved specifically for Sasha.

After settling both bags on her shoulders, Bayley rushed ahead to the door. She struggles awkwardly for a moment to keep the two bags on her shoulder while opening the door for Sasha as well. Sasha shakes her head as she walks toward Bayley and the exit, passing Natalya on her way. As she walks past her, Natalya can see Sasha failing to hide a smile as she rolls her eyes and quietly mutters, “Doofus.”

Natalya turns to see Naomi and Ember continuing their awkward, stilted conversation as if someone was actually listening to them. Charlotte remains silently in the corner looking entirely unimpressed by the events that had occurred.

Natalya sighs and says, “They are gone. Both of you can stop now.”

Instantly, Naomi’s demeanor changes. She points a finger accusingly at Ember, “Girl, I offered you help a couple days ago, and you said you didn’t need it. And, now you force me to watch this kind of mess tonight? What in the hell was that?”

Ember glances around nervously before replying, “Well, I just—”

A loud bang interrupts them as the door to the locker room slams back open. An out of breath Bayley is poking her head through the door, “I forgot to say goodbye! Charlotte, good luck on your match tonight. I love you, guys! See you soon!”

Bayley pauses for a moment and glances off to her side, down the hallway. Then, Bayley turns back with a mischievous smile on her face and adds, “Oh, Sasha said that she loves you guys too!”

The girls hear a loud, “No, I didn’t,” coming from Sasha somewhere down the hall. Bayley shoots them a secret smile and whispers, “She does though.”

Bayley gives them one final wave before her head disappears and the door shuts, leaving the four women alone in the room again.

After a momentary pause, Charlotte pulls herself away from the locker she was leaning on, straightens out her clothing, and shortly declares, “Well, that was truly an experience. Let’s all congratulate ourselves on another roaring failure.”

Charlotte makes her way toward the door, continuing, “If you guys will excuse me, I have a match to prepare for now. And, I surely do not plan on failing twice in one night. Goodbye.”

Charlotte turns and opens the door to a bruised Becky Lynch on the other side, with the rest of the girls behind her. The two eye each other pensively for a moment before Becky looks away first. Becky turns back to the other girls and quickly orders them to move out of the way. As the other girls part, Becky stands tall in the doorway for another moment. The two former lovers hold eye contact again. Becky huffs out a gruff, “Good luck,” and steps out of Charlotte’s path.

Charlotte lifts her head, silently nods, and walks past Becky. She observes the other girls for a moment before turning to walk down the hallway.

Charlotte doesn’t look back.

What Charlotte doesn’t know is, that if she had looked back, maybe she would have seen a broken Becky Lynch watching her leave despondently. Maybe Becky had taken one small step toward her, as if she was about to give chase, before shaking her head and walking into the locker room. Maybe Charlotte would have seen that, although she didn’t turn back, Becky looked back at her one last time before entering the locker room.

But, Charlotte didn’t look back, so these are only maybes. And Charlotte will never know.

 

X

 

As Charlotte decimates Ronda in their match that night, the rest of the girls sit huddled away in the locker room. Natalya and Naomi review the events of the night while Ember quietly stares at the floor, equally embarrassed and disappointed in herself. Carmella has taken the seat next to Ember and is quietly rubbing her back, attempting to comfort the woman. The rest of the girls listen attentively as Natalya details their second disappointment.

Natalya ends her recap with a detailed description of Bayley and Sasha’s interactions before they left the locker room. Most of the girls smile or coo gently at Bayley carrying Sasha’s bags and opening the door for her. Carmella, Billie, and Peyton are gushing over how adorable Bayley is with a strangely irritated Alexa sitting quietly on the bench beside them.

Interrupting the girl’s discussion of Bayley’s chivalry, Alexa slyly suggests, “Well, then I guess it’s time to give up. We tried twice. We failed twice. Natalya, you said so yourself, Asuka and Ember were our only options. Guess that means that poor Sasha and Bayley won’t be together after all. How sad for them!”

Becky’s temper flares momentarily, sick of Alexa’s constant need to take swipes at her friends.

“You ever considered not being a bitch before?” Becky bites back harshly.

Alexa’s eyes narrow into a glare, sickly happy to have a target to take her anger out on, “Maybe I’ll consider not being such a bitch when you stop shooting your pathetic, sad puppy eyes at Charlotte whenever you think she isn’t looking. Newsflash, Champ, you’re the one who broke her poor little heart. You ever feel bad about all the times she’s spent crying alone in her hotel room since Summerslam?”

Becky rises to her feet immediately, pointing her finger at Alexa, “You better shut your fucking mouth right now.”

Alexa doesn’t back down, cruelly laughing, “Aw, does The Man have feelings after all? Charlotte sure wouldn’t know. But, who knows? Maybe Charlotte hasn’t been alone in her hotel room. A woman like that? Bet she’s had plenty of other ladies happily volunteering to take your place in her bed.”

In an instant Becky takes quick strides across the locker room, hoists Alexa to her feet by her shirt, and slams her back against a locker, “I told you to watch your mouth. Say one more fucking word. I dare you.”

Before any of the other women can interfere, Alexa spits out, “You think she lets those girls fuck her like you did?”

Becky’s eyes flash, and her fist rears back to smash into Alexa’s face. As she starts to swing forward, Alexa’s eyes widen in panic, experiencing sudden regret at taking her anger out on Becky. Alexa closes her eyes, but, before Becky’s fist can make contact, Naomi has snatched her hand out of the air.

Ember and Asuka move to grab Becky by the waist, dragging the screaming Irish woman away from Alexa. Becky is fighting desperately to get back at Alexa, trying to rip and scratch the two women’s hands off her. Becky begins to hoarsely shout, “Let go of me! Fucking let go!”

Naomi turns to the women and barks, “Get her out of here! Now!”

Naomi addresses Becky next, “Y’all aren’t about to start fighting in this locker room! Calm down!”

Becky, still fighting, replies with a wild look in her eyes, “Don’t fucking tell me what to do! Let GO of me!”

Natalya moves to open the locker room door, and Asuka and Ember finally manage to drive Becky out. Natalya slams the door behind the three and the room descends into a sudden silence. None of the girls seem to know what to say. Alexa still remains with her back pressed against the lockers, lungs heaving in desperate breaths. The girls in the room stand with wide eyes, disbelieving of the scene that just occurred in front of them. Finally, Naomi turns toward Alexa.

She calmly threatens, “If you ever pull a stunt like that again, not only will you be thrown out of this group, Becky will not be the one you have to worry about. And I am a much worse enemy to make. Believe that.”

Naomi stares at Alexa with raised eyebrows, challenging her to say anything else. After a moment, Alexa nods slightly and looks down at the floor.

Satisfied at that, Naomi looks at Natalya, “When are we meeting again?”

Natalya glances up, “Are we still doing this?”

Natalya looks at the three other women remaining in the room— Carmella, Peyton, and Billie. Pensively, the women let out small murmurs of agreement to continue. All seem to think they should still see this through, especially since they have already dedicated so much time to it.

Natalya grins tiredly, “Alright, we are continuing. So,” a pause, “Who is next?”

There is another pause in the room as the girls contemplate the decision.

Naomi sighs, “God, I’m going to fucking regret this.”

The other women all turn to hear Naomi’s idea. The girl shakes her head, not able to believe she is about to make this suggestion.

“The last two times, our problem was we were using people who didn’t know how to flirt. We need a different approach this time. Someone, or two people, who are a little more charming.”

Naomi turns to Billie and Peyton, “You guys ready for this?”

Billi and Peyton grin widely at each other. Billie squeals lightly and grabs Peyton’s hand.

Peyton smirks at the girls in the room, “Ready? We’ve already been dreaming about this for months.”

Billie coyly adds, “Well...we’ve dreamed about a lot more than just flirting.”

“Jesus Christ,” Naomi heads toward the door, “I’m leaving. I can’t handle these two for two more seconds.”

Billie speaks up one more time before the door can shut behind Naomi, “That’s what Bayley is going to say when we are done with her!”

As the door shuts, the only sound the girls can hear is a disgusted gag.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it! 
> 
> Peyton and Billie are indeed up next, so that is definitely going to be a crazy chapter. There is no telling what those girls are going to do. I also don't know considering I haven't written it yet. Either way, yay!
> 
> A couple of you commented with predictions last time which was amazing to hear. I've seen some people get kind of close but not quite hitting the nail on the head. So, we'll see if anyone can predict how I'm ending this before I end it.
> 
> P.S. No one kill me for the "scared of Banks" pun....It was right there and had to be done, alright!?
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	3. Plan C: The IIconics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The IIconics are up to bat!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shameless plug: My Tumblr is bisexualshrug.
> 
> Sorry the update has taken so long, guys! The holidays have been crazy busy. But, hopefully you will excuse the absence, due to the fact that the update is about twice as long. This chapter alone almost doubled the size of this fic.
> 
> Anyways, here is a late Christmas present! Hope you guys enjoy!

If there is one thing in the world that Billie Kay knows, it is that Peyton Royce is the love of her life. Billie remembers meeting Peyton years ago, before Smackdown, before NXT, and even before the PWWA in Australia. Billie met Peyton her freshman year of high school. Billie was in her freshman English class, sitting in the back row and preparing to listen as little as possible when Peyton walked into the room. Billie noticed her immediately. She doesn’t exactly know why, but Billie is convinced now that something in her soul just knew. Her soul knew that Peyton was for her, and it tugged quietly at her heart and said, ‘Her. Her right there.’

Peyton walked into the room filled with beautiful confidence. She walked through the small classroom, eyes straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge any other person in the room. She strutted straight to the back of the classroom. Then, Peyton sat down right next to her.

Billie was still staring.

Peyton sat her things down gingerly and seemed to suddenly realize the eyes of another on her. Peyton turned and looked straight into Billie’s eyes for the first time.

Sporting a coy smile, Peyton’s first words to Billie were, “So, you gonna let me cheat off you this year? Or, what?”

Momentarily stunned by the question, Billie forces a matching smile onto her face and aptly replies, “Does it count as you cheating off me if I’m already cheating off the guy next to us?”

Peyton’s eyes crinkle in amusement and a grin spreads across her face. She holds eye contact with Billie for a moment and taps her nails lightly against the desk. Billie watches her closely, already feeling a strong connection with this girl.

Finally, Peyton nods, then says, “You know what? I like you. You should come over to my house this weekend.”

The grin on Billie’s face widens, and she shrugs her shoulders, “Why not? Not like I’m going to hang out with any of the rest of these losers.”

A bright laugh erupts from Peyton. It’s the first of Peyton’s laughs Billie ever heard, but it was certainly not the last. Billie hopes that, as long as Peyton and her are alive, there will never be a last laugh. And, more importantly, that all Peyton’s laughs will make Billie feel exactly the same as that first laugh made her feel.

Sitting in a ninth-grade English classroom, Billie heard a laugh for the first time. A small, bright laugh. A young laugh. A beautiful laugh. It filled Billie up and warmed her insides. Peyton’s laugh, from the first time she ever heard it, made Billie’s heart feel like it was floating on a cloud. And she didn’t want her heart to ever be on the ground again.

X

 

Naomi turns to Billie and Peyton, “You guys ready for this?”

Billie and Peyton grin widely at each other. Billie squeals lightly and grabs Peyton’s hand.

Peyton smirks at the girls in the room, “Ready? We’ve already been dreaming about this for months.”

Billie coyly adds, “Well...we’ve dreamed about a lot more than just flirting.”

“Jesus Christ,” Naomi heads toward the door, “I’m leaving. I can’t handle these two for one more second.”

Billie speaks up one more time before the door can shut behind Naomi, “That’s what Bayley is going to say when we are done with her!”

As the door shuts, the only sound the girls can hear is a disgusted gag. After Naomi’s exit, only Carmella, Natalya, Billie, and Peyton remain in the locker room. Billie intertwines her pinky with Peyton’s and nods her head toward the door, silently communicating that she would like to leave. Peyton shrugs her shoulders suggesting that she’s fine with whatever Billie wishes.

“Okay, well, this was certainly fun. But we have places to be. So, see you girls later. The next time you see us we’ll be ready to create a plan that will actually succeed,” Billie directs toward Carmella and Natalya before tugging Peyton to the exit.

Natalya furrows her eyebrows, “Um...bye?”

Carmella doesn’t speak instead simply nodding in their direction. The girls’ pinkies remain intertwined as they exit the locker room and the door closes behind them. Billie looks around the hallway, notices it is empty, and then turns to face Peyton. Moving slightly closer, Billie places her hand gently against Peyton’s cheek. At the touch, a gentle smile crosses Peyton’s face and a light hum leaves her mouth.

Quietly, Billie asks, “You sure you are alright with this?”

Peyton turns her head and gently kisses Billie’s palm, “Of course. We’ve both said we are attracted to Bayley anyway. Are you not okay with it anymore?”

Billie smiles, “I’m more than okay with it. I just wanted to check on you first, Peyt.”

A soft smile emerges on Peyton’s face at her girlfriend’s consideration. Peyton loves how Billie always wants to take care of her. Even when taking care of Peyton might disrupt Billie’s life, her girlfriend has dropped her desires so many times for Peyton. When it comes to her, Billie is always selfless. Peyton leans forward and plants a light, grateful kiss on Billie’s cheek.

Peyton leans back and coyly smiles, “Well, since we are both on the same page, I want to know what scheme you’ve got cooked up in that mind of yours? Because we both know you already have an idea.”

Billie smirks, “I’m thinking this time we might need a little change of scenery”

Peyton’s eyebrows raise, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Billie’s eyes twinkle, “Let’s say it at the same time.”

Peyton nods, “Alright. One…”

Billie grabs both of Peyton’s hands, “Two…”

Peyton squeezes Billie’s hands, “Three…”

At the same time, both girls yell, “CLUBBING!”

They erupt into a fit of giggling. Billie slings her arm around Peyton’s shoulder and begins to tug her down the hall. Peyton’s hand reaches up to intertwine her fingers with the hand Billie has wrapped around her. The two walk down the hallway still giggling. Both running ideas and scenarios through their own heads, sure to share them as soon as they reach their room that night.

 

X

 

Early the next morning, Natalya shoots the girls’ group chat a message agreeing to meet in her hotel room that night. They all have an early morning flight to catch the next day, and Natalya wants to catch everyone while they are all in the same place. Natalya is staying with Ember that night at the hotel near the arena where they performed. It’s not unusual for some of the girls to stay at different hotels, but they all seem to have converged in the same place tonight. Natalya wanted to take advantage of that to plan for the IIconics’ attempt at driving Bayley and Sasha together.

The girls all agree to meet up around 11:30 PM and they arrive at Natalya’s room one-by-one. The last arrival, to no one’s surprise, is Alexa Bliss herself who decided to grace everyone with her presence at 11:40. The second she walks into the room Becky immediately tenses and narrows her eyes. The girls who saw their confrontation the night before look between both worriedly, ready to intervene again if necessary. Uncharacteristically of Alexa, the woman walks demurely into the room and sits in a chair by herself. She offers a short greeting then remains entirely silent, refusing to look in Becky’s direction.

After a moment, a tug on Becky’s arm pulls her glare away from Alexa. Becky turns her stare on Naomi who is glaring back, not intimidated by the Women’s Champion. The two women glare harshly at each other for a moment before Naomi whispers, ‘You better keep your ass seated.’ Becky’s eyes remain critically trained on Naomi for a few more moments, but the woman eventually deflates and looks down at her feet.

After the girls have all settled in their spots and quieted down, Natalya stands at the head of the room prepared to start their third meeting. She surveys the room of women, eyeing Billie and Peyton warily.

“Okay, ladies,” Natalya begins, “So, at this point, we all know that our second attempt has also failed.”

The women in the room glance at Ember, who has shrunken down in her spot on the couch by Carmella. Carmella gently rubs the woman’s arm attempting to comfort her.

“Since most of you weren’t present throughout the entire debacle last night. Those of us who remained in the room after the...disagreement between Alexa and Becky know—”

Charlotte interrupts, “What disagreement?”

Becky tenses at the question, not wanting the nature of the fight to be revealed to the subject of said fight. Alexa looks down at the floor while the rest of the women glance warily at each other.

Naomi speaks up, “It was just a mild disagreement. No big deal. Nothing happened, girl.”

Charlotte’s intense stare sweeps the room, quickly picking up on the sudden air of tension. Her eyes shift to focus on Becky, who is avoiding Charlotte’s eyes by keeping a hard stare directed at the floor. Charlotte’s eyes narrow when she notices her tensed posture. The woman resembles a spooked cat who looks ready to either pounce or sprint out of the room.

“Becky,” Charlotte directs at her ex-girlfriend, “What happened?”

Still staring at the floor, Becky gruffly mutters, “Nothing.”

“I don’t believe you,” Charlotte quickly responds.

Becky again mutters her response, “Don’t care.”

Charlotte rolls her eyes. She glances around the room again, and she notices now that most of the women are refusing to meet her gaze. Most of all Alexa, who, like Becky, is keeping her eyes trained on the floor.

Raising her voice slightly, Charlotte questions, “Will anybody in here tell me what happened?”

The silence she is met with only increases her irritation as she turns her focus back to Becky, “What did you do?”

Becky tenses even further at the accusation, refusing to respond. Charlotte can tell she is shutting down completely. Quickly turning to the other woman involved in the argument, Charlotte harshly spits out, “Alexa, what did you do?”

Staring down at her feet, Alexa quietly lies, “I didn’t do anything. She started it.”

Becky’s gaze immediately shifts from the floor to glare at Alexa and she lets out a sharp laugh, “You’ve got to be kidding me? You didn’t do anything? Fuck you, Alexa.”

At the insult, Alexa lets her anger get the best of her again, shooting back, “You insulted me first. I just defended myself.”

Becky’s hands clenched into fists, “You sure have a funny way of defending yourself. Why don’t you just get the hell out of here? None of us even know why you are here. It’s not like you actually care about Sasha or Bayley or even have a selfless bone in your—”

Alexa hotly interjects, “You don’t know anything about me.”

Becky laughs again, “Oh, I know more than enough. You can’t seriously be implying that you care about either of them?”

Alexa quickly shoots back, “I don’t care about them. I hate both of them.”

“Then, why are you here?” Becky demands.

Breaking eye contact for the first time, Alexa turns her nose up at Becky, “I don’t owe you any explanation.”

The room lapses into silence for a moment. Becky is breathing heavily, and Alexa is refusing to meet her eyes. Naomi clears her throat, drawing Alexa’s attention to her. A glare from Naomi reminds the girl of Naomi’s threat last night, and Alexa lets out a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.  
Charlotte is the one to break the silence, saying accusedly, “So, all of you know what this argument is about, but none of you are going to tell me?”

A pause emerges in the room. No one wanting to speak up and reveal the nature of the fight. Everyone knows if Charlotte was told the fight was about her it would only upset her and stir up new drama between Becky and Charlotte.

Charlotte stands and lifts her chin slightly, “Fine, if none of you want to tell me anything, then I’m leaving.”

At the declaration, Becky’s eyes finally shoot up and look directly at Charlotte. Becky has a conflicted look on her face. Charlotte studies her a moment before giving up. She is so tired of trying to decipher the expressions of a stranger. Charlotte turns her back on the group and begins to walk toward the door. Before she can turn the handle to exit though, a quiet voice shakily says, “...Charlie.”

Charlotte immediately freezes, her entire body tensing at the familiar nickname that she hasn’t heard since Summerslam. Her eyes start to tear up, and she closes them tightly to stop the tears from falling. She won’t cry for Becky again. She hesitates for a moment before shakily reaching for the door handle and turning it. Before she leaves, she pauses for a moment.

Without looking back, Charlotte tightly replies, “You lost the right to call me that a long time ago.”

The door slams closed behind her, and the room falls into an awkward silence. Natalya and Naomi look at each other worriedly. Becky stares at the door with widened eyes. She rises slightly, seeming to want to give chase for a moment, before sinking back down into her seat. Alexa looks between Becky and the door for a moment, feeling a rare moment of regret.

She breaks the silence, “Becky,” another pause, “I’m— I guess I’m like sorry. Or whatever.”

Becky lets out a huff, not accepting the half-apology but not having the energy to start another argument. Noticing the dissipating tension, Natalya knows this is her chance to direct the conversation back to the reason for this gathering in the first place. She wants to talk to Becky later, but, with all the others in here, now is clearly not the time.

“Okay,” Natalya says pointedly at Peyton and Billie, “Do you guys have an idea of what you want to do?”

Peyton and Billie smirk at each other. They spent most of the night before coming up with their own plan and know exactly what it is going to take to get the job done. Peyton nods at Billie to share their plans with the girls. Billie smiles gingerly, takes Peyton’s hand, and faces Natalya again.

Billie begins, “Alright, we’ve done this twice at WWE events, so Peyton and I thought it would be nice to have a little...change of scenery for our turn.”

Naomi glances warily at Natalya, already not liking the possibilities of where this could be going. Natalya shrugs her shoulders in response, believing they should at least hear the two girls out.

Natalya questions, “Okay, so where do you want to be?”

At the same time, both girls exclaim, “A club!”

Naomi shakes her head vigorously and stands, “Nah. I know y’alls plan isn’t to sexually harass that poor girl. Bayley don’t deserve that.”

Peyton contests, “We wouldn’t sexually harass her! It’s just light flirting! If she told us to back off, we would. Plus, a club environment is way more likely to make Sasha jealous than a conversation at work!”

The girls in the room glance around at each other, silently agreeing that is probably true. Naomi lets out a deep sigh and falls back on the couch, shaking her head. The regret washing off her in waves is palpable to Natalya.

Carmella speaks up first, “You know, technically, they are right. Clubs are made for flirting, so Sasha is probably going to be hyper-aware of anything happening. Especially, if we get her drinking a little bit!”

Naomi and Natalya are looking at each other in panic as the women in the room are all making noises of agreement. The tide is quickly turning against their caution, partially due to the girls’ own desire for a club night.

Asuka speaks up next, “Clubbing is fun! Naomi, we always have a great time at clubs.”

Naomi looks at Asuka fondly but her gaze sweeps the rest of the room wearily. It’s beginning to sound as if the club plan is confirmed as all the girls have begun talking amongst themselves about ideas, outfits, drinks, and potential hook-ups. Peyton and Billie sit proudly, hands intertwined, on the couch in excited discussion with each other about the upcoming club night.

Naomi sighs and turns to Natalya, “We can’t stop this. Can we?”

Natalya shakes her head, “I don’t think we can.”

Naomi replies, “You think this is gonna end as badly as I’m imagining it will?”

Natalya moves to sit beside Naomi on the bed, “We should probably be ready to break up a fight.”

“I am so glad I’m married,” Naomi responds tiredly.

Natalya lets out a hum of agreement, “Amen to that.”

They both sit together in silence for a moment as the girls around them continue to chatter excitedly.

Naomi releases another sigh, “God, I hate single bitches.”

 

X

 

Later that night, Peyton and Billie have returned to their hotel room. They are curled up together in the bed. Billie rests with an arm slung across Peyton’s waist. Her nose is nuzzled into Peyton’s neck, and her breath has evened out in her sleep, releasing deep breaths that wash gently over Peyton. Peyton is lightly running her fingers through Billie’s hair, a motion that has come to soothe both women over the years.

Peyton stares at the ceiling, her wandering mind warding off sleep at the moment. She can’t help but let her mind linger on the plans they made tonight. Peyton thinks most women would be nervous about letting their partner flirt with another person. Especially if they had someone like Billie. Of course, there is no person in the world like Billie. She’s too perfect. Billie is charming and mischievous and hilarious. And, god. She is so smart.

Peyton thinks back to their days in high school. After their first meeting, they spent the next three years making sure to line their schedules up exactly. They spent those three years of high school in every class together, sitting side-by-side. Always in the back. They would sit in the back of the room, whispering and passing notes to each other instead of listening or taking notes for the class.

On test day, it was time for Peyton to cheat, because she had surely spent far too much time staring at Billie to even be sure what room they were in. Peyton was always sure that Billie listened just as little as Peyton did, but Billie is so smart. They would come back with almost identical grades, Peyton always making sure to copy a few answers from Billie’s paper wrong to avoid suspicion.

Peyton would always ask Billie how she (and by extension Peyton) did so well on exams, and Billie would answer the same every time. Billie always claimed to be cheating too.

But, Peyton watched Billie a lot. How could anyone blame her? Billie has always been the most beautiful woman in any room she walked into, and this was true even back in high school. So, Peyton spent an inordinate amount of time just silently watching Billie. Just to see her. And that extended to test days.

Peyton never once saw Billie glance up from her own paper in four years of high school. Yet she always made great grades. Billie graduated in the top twenty-five of their grade, but never listened a single day in class. She was just that smart.

Yet, she never just told Peyton that.

For a long time, Peyton couldn’t understand why Billie wouldn’t just admit to being that smart. It wasn’t out of shyness or humility. Those were qualities neither of them would ever be said to possess. It wasn’t due to some outdated concept of girls needing to dumb themselves down to seem attractive. Billie didn’t date anyone else, and there was nothing she needed to do to hold Peyton’s attention.

It took Peyton a long time, but she figured it out eventually.

Billie thought if Peyton knew, then Peyton would think she was indebted to Billie. If Billie was just cheating off another person, then both of them were equal cheaters. If Billie was smart, and Peyton was copying off Billie, then Peyton might feel lesser. Or feel like she owed Billie something.

And Billie didn’t want Peyton to feel like that. Billie didn’t want Peyton to owe her anything. All Billie had ever wanted was Peyton. But she wanted Peyton to choose her freely. Not out of any desire to pay up some debt.

So, Billie lied. And Peyton chose her anyway.

Peyton would always choose Billie. And Billie would always be there, silently taking care of Peyton. Never asking for anything in return. Never even wanting acknowledgment for all she was doing.

So, Peyton wasn’t scared of a little flirting. Billie and Peyton were unbreakable. Peyton knew that because Billie told her. And Billie is so smart. She’s never wrong.

 

X

 

Before leaving to return to their respective beds that night, the girls decided it would be best if they all went out the upcoming Wednesday night. Raw and Smackdown happen to be in the same city this week, and none of the girls are due at any events until the house shows at the end of the week. They could all stay in the city, go out for the night, and have a couple days to recover. And, hopefully, a few days to allow Bayley and Sasha to bask in the glow of their newly established relationship.

Naomi decided that she would be the one to invite Bayley and Sasha to the club because she refused to trust any one of this group of idiots with even the smallest task anymore. Natalya was chosen to relay all the information to Charlotte, who had abruptly departed from their meeting before decisions had been made.

Natalya and Naomi had met up backstage at Smackdown to discuss missing details of the plan before parting ways to take care of their roles. Naomi tracked down Sasha and Bayley, finding them in the halls engaged in a discussion with Bayley’s Mixed Match Challenge partner, Finn Balor.

Noticing Finn and Bayley seemed to be the more active participants in the conversation, Naomi decided Sasha’s attention would be the easiest to catch. Naomi waves at Sasha as she is walking toward the group and Sasha lifts her head in acknowledgment. The girl nudges Bayley beside her who is pulled momentarily from her conversation with Finn. Noticing the approaching Naomi, a bright smile emerges on Bayley’s face. The girl easily pushes past Sasha and Finn to greet Naomi with a tight hug.

Finn walks up shortly after Bayley, greeting Naomi with a shorter hug. They exchange pleasantries as Sasha idles up behind Bayley. Although Naomi and Sasha had made amends after the destruction of Team B.A.D., Sasha had always maintained a precautionary distance from Naomi to this day. A sting of regret washes over Naomi at Sasha’s (lack of) greeting, and Naomi shoots a friendly smile her way.

The gesture seems to relax Sasha slightly, and Sasha hesitantly returns the smile. Naomi vows to herself at that moment that she will keep pushing for a better relationship with Sasha. Naomi misses their friendship. They seemed to form a fast bond and could relate to each other in ways Naomi couldn’t with other girls in the company.

As the four engage in casual conversation, Naomi slides in a mention of the upcoming “girls’ night out” and invites Bayley and Sasha to tag along. Bayley immediately perked up at the invitation and excitedly agrees to come along. To express her gratitude for the invite, Bayley wraps Naomi up in another hug.

Bouncing on her toes slightly, Bayley squeals, “Ahh! This is going to be so much fun. Wow! We haven’t had a girls night in so long!”

Sasha, who has remained silent to this point, eyes Naomi critically, “Who all is coming to the club?”

Naomi tries to disguise a wince at the question, knowing Sasha won’t like some of the attendees, “Well, Natalya and I got this up, so we are going to be there. Ember, Asuka, Charlotte, and Becky are coming as well.”

Bayley’s smile widens at the mention of her friends. Sasha’s face is still a mask but seems to soften slightly at the mention of Charlotte and Becky.

Naomi continues, “Bayley, Carmella is going to be there too! I know you haven’t spent time with her in a while!”

At the mention of one of her best friends, Bayley’s eyes light up, and she grabs Sasha’s arm in excitement. Naomi glances at Sasha who seems even tenser at the mention of Carmella, a fact that Naomi stores away in the back of her mind for later use.

Bayley turns to Sasha, “Sash! Charlotte, Becky, and Carmella are going! This is going to be so much fun!”

Sasha nods at Bayley to appease her and then turns back to Naomi with furrowed eyebrows, “Is anyone else going or is that all?”

Swallowing tightly, Naomi answers, “Um, The IIconics are coming andAlexaiscomingtoo. So, do you guys want to come?”

Naomi rushes Alexa’s invitation out in one quick breath, hoping neither girl picks up on it. Bayley seems to not notice and is waiting for Sasha to answer, having already said she was going. Naomi waits for Sasha’s response, praying to God that She will allow Sasha’s observant nature to fail her this one time.

“What was that last thing you said?”

Naomi forces a calm smile on her face, “I asked if you wanted to come.”

“No, before that,” Sasha insists.

“I said the IIconics are coming?” Naomi phrases the statement like a question, knowing she has been caught but giving it one last shot anyway.

Sasha rolls her eyes, “No, after that.”

Naomi's shoulders drop, and she lets out a sigh. Finally giving in, Naomi admits in a huff, “I said Alexa is going to be there too.”

Sasha lets out a sharp laugh and shakes her head, “Nah. No way. Nope. We aren’t going if that ugly dwarf is there too. Hard pass, Naomi.”

Naomi panics slightly, beginning to quickly run through ways to convince Sasha to come. Before she can say anything though, Bayley has turned to Sasha with a whine. Tugging on her arm, Bayley looks at Sasha with a pout.

“I wanna go though,” Bayley whines.

Sasha rolls her eyes, “Okay, I can’t control you. If for some unknown reason, you want to be in the same room as that bitch outside of work, you should go. I will be in our room, and you can call me to pick you up when you are ready to leave. I will come to get you whenever you want. God knows I don’t trust any of those bozos to get you back to me safely.”

Bayley stomps her foot, “But, Sasha. I don’t wanna go unless you come too.”

Sasha forces down a smile to keep up her mask of annoyance, “Carmella is going to be there. I’m sure she can keep you occupied.”

Naomi rolls her eyes at the words, clocking Sasha’s subtle pettiness from a mile away. Sasha was almost oozing with jealousy, and Carmella wasn’t even here. Naomi remembers the first night when Natalya explained to the girls how they needed to make Sasha jealous and recalls the fear in Carmella’s voice. The girl was so terrified she was willing to pay a random stranger to do their bidding for them. Seeing Sasha’s attitude at the mere mention of the woman, Naomi can understand the plight of the poor woman.

Bayley sighs, “But, I want you there too, though.”

Naomi waits patiently for Sasha to follow up with more pettiness. The obvious play from Sasha here is an attempt to get Bayley to reassure Sasha of her relative importance to Bayley. Naomi knows that Bayley, being the oblivious, in-love sweetheart she is, will not notice and cave immediately.

Sasha crosses her arms, “Why? Isn’t Carmella so great that you don’t even need me?”

Naomi softens when she notices a momentary flash of vulnerability emerge on Sasha’s face. Naomi realizes that this isn’t just a display of bitter pettiness, but an almost insecure Sasha Banks seeking reassurance that Bayley needs her.

Bayley’s response breaks Naomi from her train of thought, “Carmella is great. But, I only really want to go if you’re there. It won’t be as fun without you there. And I’ll only be thinking of you in our room the entire time. And that will just make me want to leave early to be with you. But I will feel bad ditching the girls early, so I’ll just stay and be sad. Will you please come, Sasha?”

Halfway through Bayley’s speech, Naomi watches Sasha’s confidence seem to be renewed and a shy, satisfied grin emerges on the girl’s face.

“Alright, fine,” Sasha relents, “I’ll go.”

Bayley lets out a cheer, and Naomi feels relieved that Bayley was able to accomplish Naomi’s job for her.

“But,” Sasha starts and points at Naomi, “You better keep Alexa the hell away from me. For her own benefit.”

“Deal,” Naomi agrees swiftly, “So, I’ve got to go. But I’ll see you guys there?”

Bayley grins and swings an arm around Sasha’s shoulders, “Yes you will!”

She turns and wraps Sasha in an excited hug, and Naomi walks off. The last she saw of the girls was the two wrapped together, a pleased grin on Sasha’s face at having made Bayley happy.

 

X

 

On Wednesday night, the girls have decided to ride in a few Ubers to the club together. Since none of them wanted to be the designated driver, the responsible action was to just Uber there and back. Sasha and Bayley had piled into an Uber with Carmella and Naomi, Bayley making sure to position herself between Carmella and Sasha. Sitting in the car with these three girls, Naomi immediately regrets her choice of Uber.

‘Why couldn’t I have gotten into the Uber with Asuka, Natalya, and Ember?’ Naomi thinks despondently.

As soon as they had settled into the Uber, Bayley immediately turns to Carmella, and the two best friends begin to eagerly catch up on each other’s lives. The two rarely get to see each other except for a few minutes backstage during the Mixed Match Challenge. But this is the first time in months they have gotten to spend an extended amount of time together. Sasha sits at Bayley’s side, silently observing the two but making no attempts to insert herself into the conversation.

Naomi is surprised by Sasha’s lack of reaction to Carmella’s presence, given how strongly she reacted to even the mention of the woman yesterday. But Sasha seems perfectly complacent, although more subdued than usual. Sasha is watching Bayley happily talk to her friend with a soft smile on her face.

For a moment, Naomi feels a flash of guilt surge through her. Naomi saw the insecurity Sasha felt about her relationship with Bayley earlier, but, now, Sasha seems happy watching Bayley with Carmella. She seems happy that Bayley is happy. But they are pushing Sasha until she lets her insecurities turn into anger. They are trying to scare and upset Sasha. Their friend. It makes Naomi feel a little sick for a moment.

But then Naomi remembers why they are doing this. It’s a minute or two of jealousy for a lifetime of happiness. A moment of insecurity for the ultimate assurance that the woman Sasha loves feels the same way about Sasha.

They are doing the right thing.

Sasha just needs a little push. And Naomi knows the IIconics are certainly willing to shove. Whether their intentions are as pure as Naomi’s….well, Naomi doesn’t want to think about their reasons. She is not about to be that girl throwing up before they even get to the club.

She didn’t pre-game that much.

 

X

 

Peyton stumbles out the Uber, latching onto Billie’s arm to steady herself. Billie carefully wraps an arm around Peyton’s waist to help guide her into the club. The two women may have drunk a little in their hotel room before the night started. Well, they drank a little before getting distracted by some…other fun activities. Peyton thinks it was good to get a nice (really nice) release before their little game with Bayley starts tonight. They have to focus on their mission without getting distracted by how hot Bayley is sure to look through their drunken eyes.

Alexa shared the Uber with the two of them, so all three girls meet up with the others at the door. Peyton’s eyes immediately wander to find Bayley, but the first thing she notices is the sneer Sasha is shooting at Alexa. Looking towards the object of Sasha’s ire, Peyton sees the feelings of disgust are clearly shared, as Alexa is glaring directly back at Sasha.

Turning back to Sasha, Peyton’s eyes finally land on Bayley standing directly beside the woman. Bayley looks toward Peyton at almost the same moment. This gives Peyton the opportunity to direct a sultry smile and a wink at the woman. Bayley looks extra fine tonight. Peyton’s gaze wanders down Bayley’s body, lingering on a fairly low-cut top and tight, ripped black jeans. Peyton’s gaze returns to Bayley’s face to see a bright, innocent grin directed back at her. Bayley waves excitedly before turning back to Sasha, who seems to have missed the short moment between Peyton and Bayley.

That is slightly disappointing. But Peyton knows that this is only the beginning. And Peyton and Billie have planned to become much more obvious in their...intentions as the night wears on.

At that moment, Peyton is broken out of her thoughts by Billie tugging on her waist to pull the woman inside, the bouncer finally letting the group of women into the club. As they enter the club, Billie leans into Peyton’s ear and whispers, “You ready for this, baby?”

Peyton lets a coy smirk appear on her face, “You have no idea.”

Billie giggles into her ear, “Oh, I think I do. We’ve been thinking about this for a long time.”

Peyton grins, “Isn’t it great when dreams come true?”

“I’d say it’s a lot better than great.”

 

X

 

When the girls enter the club, they all silently agree to make their way over to the bar. Waiting to order their drinks, Natalya and Ember decide to leave to scope out a booth for their group tonight. They leave their drink orders with Bayley before beginning their search.

Billie winks at Peyton before guiding them both over to where Bayley and Sasha stand at the bar. The two women abruptly nudge Carmella out of the way before taking their new place beside Bayley and call out an order for two trays of vodka shots to the bartender, who just finished helping Bayley and Sasha. After agreeing with the bartender to keep their tab open for the night, Billie rotates to face Bayley with a smile on her face.

“Bayley…” Billie starts, gently tapping Bayley’s arm to get the girl’s attention.

Bayley turns from Sasha to face Billie and Peyton with a grin, “Hi, guys! You ready to have fun tonight?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Billie purrs, her fingertips still lingering on Bayley’s bicep.

Peyton speaks up, fluttering her eyelashes at the woman, “We were just wondering if you would be able to help us carry the trays of vodka shots we ordered to our table.”

Before Bayley can answer, Sasha interjects, “Actually, she’s already carrying Natalya and Ember’s drinks to the table, so she probably won’t be able to help you. And there’s two of you. Why couldn’t you manage your drinks on your own?”

Neither woman removes their gaze from Bayley despite Sasha’s interjection, and a matching smirk grows on their faces at the obvious opening Sasha has given to them.

Peyton blinks owlishly at Bayley, “Oh, we probably could…”

“But, Bayley just looks so strong,” Billie purrs, trailing her finger up and down Bayley’s bicep now.

“Bayley, have you been working out more?” Peyton questions, trailing off to allow Billie to complete their opening play tonight.

“Yeah, your body has just looked so much more…defined recently.” Billie finishes, looking up from where her fingers linger on Bayley’s arm to smile at the woman.

A bright grin emerges on Bayley’s face as she eagerly replies, “Actually, yeah! I’ve amped up my CrossFit workouts recently. Do you guys really think it’s helped?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Peyton assures.

“You look amazing,” Billie affirms.

“Thanks, guys! That is so nice. CrossFit has really helped me with my cardio too and—“

“Look! Our drinks are here!” Sasha abruptly interrupts the conversation and tugs a little too harshly on Bayley’s arm, “Let’s go! I’m sure Natalya and Ember have found a table already and are waiting for us to bring them drinks. We don’t wanna keep our friends waiting!”

Bayley nods at Sasha before turning back to Peyton and Billie, “She’s right. We should probably get them their drinks. We will see you over there, right?”

Billie grins, “You most definitely wi—

“OKAY, bye!” Sasha says, quickly placing some of the drinks in Bayley’s hand before grabbing the rest and dragging Bayley through the club.

Billie turns to Peyton with a wide smile on her face, and the two women fist bump before intertwining their fingers.

“Oh my god,” Carmella exclaims from beside them, “HOW do you guys do that? That was amazing!”

Billie and Peyton smile at each other again before Billie responds.

“Well, we are just getting started.”

The bartender returns to them with their trays of vodka shots, and the two head off in a search of the girls’ table for the night, where they are sure to find Bayley.

 

X

 

Natalya sips on her drink slowly as all the girls slowly arrive at their booth. She notices Peyton and Billie carefully seat themselves next to Bayley, who continues to happily talk to Sasha on her other side. Sasha and Bayley arrived at their table suddenly a few minutes ago with Sasha already showing signs of irritation, much to Natalya’s pleasure. However, as Bayley continued to exclusively pay attention to Sasha, the fiery woman seemed to be temporarily placated.

The girls slowly began to pilfer into the booth, some being careful with their seating choice. Natalya notices as Charlotte purposefully places herself away from Becky. Meanwhile, Alexa is strategically avoiding about half the table, ending up squeezed between Carmella and Ember. Carmella seems to be having a decent attempt at polite conversation with Alexa, which Natalya thinks is a lot better than most of the other girls have done.

After a few minutes of conversation amongst the group, Billie breaks through the chatter, hollering out for a round of opening shots. Most of the girls whoop and cheer as vodka shots are passed around the table. Billie counts down, and the girls throw their first shot back as a group.

Carmella yells out, “Round two!”

A few of the girls cheer as more shots are passed around the table. This time, Billie and Peyton intertwine their arms, so they can each pour the other’s girl shot down their throat. As the table of girls drink again, a few more of them grimace or cough slightly. Bayley is one of the girls to let out a slight cough, and Billie decides to quickly snatch the opportunity in front of her.

Billie notices out of the corner of her eye that Sasha is reaching out to pat Bayley on the back, but Billie quickly beats her to it. Billie gently places her hand on Bayley’s back and strokes up and down.

Billie furrows her eyebrows in faux concern, “Are you alright, Bayley?”

Bayley coughs again to get the burn out of her throat, “I-I’m fine. Just haven’t had a lot of shots recently, is all.”

From beside her, Peyton speaks up, “Here, Bayley.” Peyton holds out a lime, “Bite this lime. It’s supposed to help with the bitter taste. Look, Billie will too.”

Peyton holds out a lime to Billie, who bites into it as Peyton holds it in her hand. Billie lets out a purposeful moan around the lime, her lips brushing against Peyton’s fingers. Peyton blinks heavily at the sight for a moment before shaking herself from the reverie. She picks up a second lime holding it out toward Bayley’s mouth.

“Okay, Bayley,” Peyton husks, “Your turn.”

Bayley hesitates at the sight for a moment before shrugging and leaning forward to bite the lime in Peyton’s hand. Before she can reach the lime, a hand quickly reaches past Bayley and swats the lime out of Peyton’s grasp and onto the floor.

“Oh shoot!” Sasha says with mocking, sad tone, “Guess I knocked the lime on the floor. How clumsy of me!”

Sasha ends the statement with a fierce glare shot at the two women before she quickly places an apologetic look on her face as Bayley turns toward her.

“Oh, that’s okay, Sasha,” Bayley comforts her, “Accidents happen, y’know?”

A shout across the table from Carmella momentarily pulls Bayley’s attention, and Sasha again affixes Peyton and Billie with narrowed, suspicious eyes. Peyton and Billie stare back with wide-eyed innocent expressions, not wanting to fully reveal the intent of their actions to Sasha yet. The charged look between the three women is only broken when Bayley tunes back into the conversation.

“Sasha,” Bayley called, “Carmella, Naomi, and Charlotte are going out on the dance floor. Do you wanna come with?”

Seizing the opportunity to escape from the IIconics, Sasha responds with an emphatic, “Yes! Let’s go!”

Bayley turns to Billie and Peyton and politely asks if they can get by. Instead of quickly moving out of their way, Billie’s eyes flashed mischievously. Billie and Peyton look at each other knowingly before Billie faces Bayley again.

“Well,” Billie says, batting her eyelashes at Bayley, “We would love to let you two by, but—”

A frustrated groan comes from Sasha who interjects tensely, “But what?”

Billie holds back an eye roll at the woman before continuing, “Well, we were hoping maybe you could do each of us a favor, Bayley.”

Sasha rolls her eyes in the background and lets out an irritated huff.

Bayley nods her head, “Sure! What do you guys need?”

Peyton leans forward and whispers something inaudible into Billie’s ear. Billie nods at the suggestion, then says to Bayley, “Since there are four shots left on the table, Peyton would like if both of you would give us the honor of doing the last round with us.”

Bayley glances back at Sasha questioningly, not wanting to answer for the both of them unless she knows what Sasha is comfortable with. Billie glances down at Bayley’s hand resting on the table and gently puts her hand on top of Bayley’s, attempting to draw Bayley’s attention back to her. Instantly, Sasha notices the action out of the corner of her eye.

Sasha growled, “Ugh, just please give me more alcohol then get out of our way.”

“Sasha,” Bayley chastises gently.

Sasha rolls her eyes at the reprimand, an angry look still present on her face. Bayley observes Sasha quietly for a moment before removing her hand from underneath Billie’s and intertwining her fingers with Sasha. Sasha glances down at their hands. She lets out a light sigh, seemingly relaxed by the connection to Bayley.

“We’ll do the shots,” Sasha relented, “What kind of girl denies free alcohol at a club?”

Bayley smiles proudly at Sasha’s improved tone and cheers, “One more shot!”

Billie and Peyton join her in cheering before Peyton passes the shots around. Peyton counts down, and the four women throw back their third shot of the night. Afterward, Bayley and Sasha look at the IIconics expectantly, waiting for them to let the pair out of the booth.

Billie tuts at the two lightly, “Now, now. That was Peyton’s favor. Bayley promised us each a favor. Shouldn’t I get my mine too?”

Billie directs a pout at Bayley, who kindly replies, “Of course.”

Sasha takes a deep breath through her nose, trying to keep her blood pressure down. Trying to keep her voice level, Sasha asks, “What could your favor possibly be?”

Smiling at Bayley, Billie answers, “Well, mine is not so much a favor as a promise.”

Billie looks back at Peyton momentarily before continuing, “Peyton and I were hoping you might promise to save us a dance later in the night? Before we leave?”

Sasha’s hand clenched tightly in Bayley’s at the question, frustration sweeping back through her again. Sasha closes her eyes and takes another deep breath, the attempt to keep her calm not nearly as successful this time. Bayley winces slightly at the tight grip on her hand.

Bayley hesitates for a moment before answering, “Um, sure. That sounds really fun, guys. Just...let me know.”

Bayley’s agreement brings a matching smirk to Billie and Peyton’s faces. Simultaneously, the girls purr, “Oh, we will.”

Both move out of the booth, finally allowing Bayley and Sasha to follow Carmella, Naomi, and Charlotte to the dance floor. They stay close to the booth though, ensuring Bayley has to almost brush against them to get out. Sasha glares at the proximity of Bayley to the two IIconics, and the glare becomes more heated as Sasha herself stands to move out of the booth.

As Sasha stands, Bayley holds her hand out to help her up. Sasha takes her hand and shoots her own smirk at the two women. Bayley doesn’t release Sasha’s hand after she is out of the booth, instead beginning to tug her toward the center of the club. As Sasha walks off, she turns to suspiciously glance at the IIconics one last time. Billie responds with a smirk and a challenging eyebrow raise, choosing to reveal their game early.

Sasha’s eyes widen momentarily before narrowing into a vicious glare. She huffs at the two women, moving in closer to Bayley as they disappear into the crowd.

Billie and Peyton allow their eyes to linger on the floor for a moment before Natalya interrupts with a question, “Why did you let the two of them walk off?”

Peyton turns to her, “We wanted to let the alcohol get into their bloodstream before we really start to play with Bayley.”

Natalya gulps, “Play with her?”

“Yep,” Billie and Peyton coyly answer before locking pinkies and walking back to the bar.

 

X

 

Sitting at the bar, Billie and Peyton sip on their fresh drinks and discuss their plans for the night ahead. Agreeing they are off to a good start, they begin to discuss their next steps, keeping in mind Bayley has promised them a dance sometime before the night ends.

“So, I think our next step needs to be splitting Sasha off from Bayley,” Peyton suggests.

Billie studies Bayley and Sasha critically on the dance floor, “Hm. You’re right. Sasha has been glued to her side so far though. We can hardly talk to Bayley without her butting in. She’s not going to be driven off easily. Especially by us.”

Peyton takes another swig of her drink, “Let’s just get one of the other girls to drag her off. I mean, that’s why we have back up, right?”

Billie’s eyes move from the dance floor to Peyton, grinning at her, “It’s kind of sexy when you’re smart.”

Peyton moves closer to her girlfriend, gingerly wrapping her arms around her neck, murmuring, “Oh, yeah? Now you know how I feel every day.”

The grin on Billie’s face widens as she wraps her arms around Peyton’s waist and leans down into a kiss. Peyton’s hands move up into Billie’s hair as she presses into the kiss further with a light moan.

“Oh my God. You two are here to help Bayley and Sasha not make out in front of the bar! Seriously?” Naomi exclaims, interrupting the moment.

Peyton and Billie break the kiss, but neither are embarrassed in the slightest.

Billie responds lightly, “We are great at multitasking.”

Peyton pipes up, “Yeah, we are very skilled when it comes to handling multiple things at once.”

Peyton turns to Billie with a playful grin, “Do you think we should tell Bayley that tonight?”

Catching on immediately, Billie exclaims, “What ever could you want to tell her?”

Peyton answers slowly, facing Naomi, “We should tell her how. Great. We are at handling multiple. Things. At once.”

A disgusted expression appears on Naomi’s face. She exaggerates a gag, saying, “Please just get back to your work before I vomit and ruin this club’s floor.”

Deciding to end the games for now, Billie says, “We need help to separate Sasha from Bayley. And not just for a moment. We got Bayley to promise us a dance, but it’s not happening if Sasha is near. This might end it all if we can drive her crazy enough. We need her in sight, but she has to stay put. At least for a while.”

Naomi nods, “Alright. I’ll get it taken care of. You need anything else?”

Billie responds, “No, we’ve got it from there.”

“Good,” Naomi breathes, “I think you two might actually pull this off. Y’know...this is a really nice thing you two are doing.”

Peyton’s nose wrinkles in disgust, “Ew. We don’t do nice.”

Naomi grins, “Well, you’re doing nice right now.”

“No, we’re not,” Billie interjects, “We are here because we are interested in Bayley. And are flirting with her mostly on the off chance that she decides to come back to OUR hotel room tonight.”

“Alright,” Naomi concedes, “Say what you want. But I don’t believe you. I think you guys might actually be a little…nice.”

“Gross,” Billie and Peyton shriek.

Naomi smiles, “I’ll go separate Sasha and Bayley.”

Billie stutters out, “Yeah— and we’ll...keep thinking about how hot Bayley is going to look out of those jeans later.”

Naomi laughs walking away, “Y’all are nasty.”

 

X

 

Knowing what needs to be done, Naomi walks through the bar on a mission. She subtly finds Carmella and Becky and pulls them off to a corner of the bar.

“Billie and Peyton need us to run interference,” Naomi declares when they have finally settled together at a table.

“Alright,” Becky nods, “How do ya think we do that?”

Naomi looks between both of the women in front of her and comes up with a plan. After relaying her idea to them, Naomi and Carmella agree to help. They spend the next few minutes putting together their roles before splitting apart.

Carmella returns to the dance floor to join Sasha and Bayley. Becky positions herself within view of the three women, and Naomi heads back over to the IIconics. Naomi goes over the details of the plan formed by Carmella, Becky, and her. She tells the IIconics to wait until they see Sasha and Becky heading toward the bar and find Bayley on the dance floor. Then, Naomi returns to take a seat near Becky, ready to keep an eye on the display in front of her.

 

X

 

Becky watches Carmella rejoin Bayley, Sasha, and Charlotte on the dance floor. Carmella grabs Charlotte’s hand spinning her around as Charlotte laughs happily. For a moment, Becky allows herself to get distracted. She watches Charlotte, sees her relaxed, carefree, and happy. Becky hasn’t seen a smile that wide on Charlotte’s face since the morning of Summerslam. When Becky got to see Charlotte sleeping for the last time, Becky had snuck out early to grab Charlotte her favorite breakfast and coffee.

Becky had returned to their room quietly, waking Charlotte with a soft kiss on the forehead and a whispered “Good morning, love,” in her ear. As Charlotte slowly roused from her sleep, Becky placed the breakfast in front of her and the coffee on the nightstand beside her. When Becky glanced back down at her girlfriend, she was met with a bright, adoring smile. A beautiful smile.

One that hasn’t been directed her way since that night. The night everything changed for them. The night Becky changed. Because she had to change. You see, Becky gave, gave, and gave. She gave and Charlotte took.

And Becky just got tired of giving. Watching opportunity after opportunity slip through her fingers and into the hands of her girlfriend. She stood proudly on the sidelines for so long, but this was Becky’s dream too. It’s Becky’s hard work too. Becky deserves a win too.

And she had it. Becky worked for months slowly earning her way back to the top of the Smackdown women’s division she built. Win after win after win. Nights spent lying in pain, recovering from the bruises and cuts left on her body after another grueling match. Then, she beat the champ. And earned her title match.

Her girlfriend came back, and Becky felt on top of the world. She was winning the title with her girl by her side.

Until Charlotte took that from her too.

Now, Becky stands with the title. But her girl isn’t by her side. Becky had two options in front of her that night: Charlotte or her dream.

For better or worse, Becky chose her dream.

Becky watches Charlotte dancing on the floor, smiling and laughing happily with her friends. Becky feels a deep pang in her chest at the sight. Charlotte doesn’t need her. She’s just fine without her.

And that’s good. Because Becky doesn’t want her anymore anyway. Becky has her title. She chose the title, and Becky won’t let herself look back. Especially when Charlotte doesn’t want her anymore either.

Shaking herself from her train of thought, Becky sees Naomi sitting at the table beside her. Naomi nods her head in the direction of the girls, and Becky schools her features. With a determined stride, Becky heads toward the three women on the edge of the dance floor.

Walking up to the women, Becky yells, “Ay, Boss!”

The yell caught Sasha’s attention and she smiled at Becky, “What’s up Champ? Having a good night?”

Becky retorts, “Eh, ‘s alright. Be a little better if I had my old drinking buddy back. None of these other lasses can hold us a candle to us!”

“Now, those were some crazy nights,” Sasha laughs before glancing at Bayley for a moment, “But I don’t feel like drinking too much tonight though. Got other things to worry about.”

“Other things? You scared, Boss? Worried I could still drink you under the table like the old days,” Becky goads.

Sasha’s eye narrow at her friend, spotting the subtle challenge. She pauses for a moment before retorting, “Ah, be careful, Becks. You aren’t as Irish as you think. I could still take you easily.”

“Nah,” Becky scoffs, “Think you’ve maybe gone a little too soft for The Man. Might have wasted my time coming over here. You probably aren’t even worthy competition now.”

“Not worth the challenge?” Sasha responds indignantly, “The Bos can handle The Man any day. Could still whoop your ass in the ring and at that bar.”

Bayley, seeing the argument beginning to get a little too heated, attempts to step in by placing a hand gently on Sasha’s arm.

Becky raises her eyebrows, “Oh, really? Why don’t you prove it then, Boss? Or are you too scared?”

The taunt from Becky only provokes Sasha’s anger further, and she shakes Bayley’s arm off her. Charlotte watches silently from the side, pushing aside any concern she may have for Becky. Becky’s wellbeing is none of her business anymore.

“I’m not scared of anything!” Sasha exclaims, “Let’s go!”

Bayley places her hand on Sasha’s arms again, “Sasha, come on. Please, just stay here.”

Sasha softens for a moment and hesitates, looking into Bayley’s pleading eyes. She lets out a sigh and seems to be relenting. But, before Sasha can speak up, Becky taunts her one last time.

“You really gonna let your lass keep you from a challenge? Doesn’t sound like a Boss to me,” Becky scoffs, “Sounds soft.”

Sasha shakes her head and says, “Nope. We’re doing this.”

She storms past Becky and heads toward the bar. Becky quickly begins to follow behind the woman. Bayley starts to head in the same direction but is stopped by a hand on her arm. She turns to see Carmella with a pout on her face.

“Bayley, I thought we were having fun. We haven’t seen each other in so long. Can’t you just stay and dance with Charlotte and I for a little longer?” Carmella pleads to her friend.

Bayley feels bad momentarily but remembers what Sasha has just gotten herself into, “I have to go watch Sasha. Make sure she doesn’t take this too far.”

“Look, why don’t we just move to the other side of the dance floor? We can keep dancing, but you can see the bar. You can keep an eye on her from there,” Carmella suggests.

Bayley hesitates for a moment, “I don’t know. I should probably be right beside her.”

“Bayley, please,” Carmella begs, “I never get to spend time with you.”

“Alright,” Bayley relents, “But if anything even looks like it might go downhill, I’m going after Sasha.”

Carmella grins widely, “Deal!”

Carmella moves to wrap her friend in a tight hug before Charlotte, Carmella, and Bayley all head in the direction Sasha stormed off in a minute earlier.

 

X

 

Sasha storms up to the bar, slamming her hand on the table, “Bartender!”

The bartender, currently serving another customer, raises his head up, “Just a moment, ma’am.”

Sasha’s eye twitches but before she can light up the poor man, Becky slaps her back and seats herself beside Sasha at the bar.

“Glad to have ya back, lass,” Becky grins.

Sasha rolls her eyes, “Whatever. I’m only over here to outdrink your sorry ass. Your whole Man gimmick has gone to your head, and the Boss is about to cut you down to size.”

Becky just laughs again, completely unaffected, “Ya think Bayley’s gonna let you?”

Sasha narrows her eyes, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” Becky raises both her hands in faux surrender, “Just seems like The Boss might not be in charge anymore.”

“Watch your mouth, Becky,” Sasha snarls, “Bartender!”

The man, who was already heading in their direction, jumps slightly in fear and speeds the rest of the way over.

He greets them with a nervous smile, “H-how can I help you, ladies?”

Without breaking eye contact with Becky, Sasha answers, “Six shots of Grey Goose. We’ll call you back if we need more.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Becky and Sasha maintain their stare as the bartender walks off and returns to place three shots in front of each of them. Becky has a teasing grin on her face and raises an eyebrow challengingly.

Sasha narrows her eyes again before looking down at her three shots.

“You ready, Champ?”

Becky glances behind Sasha momentarily, meeting Billie’s eyes. She sends a subtle nod her way before answering Sasha, “Born ready, Boss. Same rules?”

Sasha nods, “First to surrender or puke loses.”

Becky holds her first shot up. Sasha raises her glass. The two women clink their glasses then throw them back. In quick succession, the women throw back the next two shots. Both women wince and cough slightly, trying to stifle their reactions.

Sasha shakes her head to pull herself from the daze. She’s now had about six shots in two hours, and they are taking a toll. Becky attempts to call the bartender back over, but the man is busy with a few other patrons. The girls have to wait for a few minutes, which gives enough time for the shots to hit both of them fully.

Sasha feels a little lighter, and the club seems to have gotten a little quieter. She looks over at Becky but can’t fully focus on the woman. They make eye contact and both start to giggle. The bartender arrives in front of them, having finally served all the other patrons.

“You girls want another round?”

Becky glances at Sasha and shrugs her shoulders.

Sasha smirks, “Two more rounds. I think The Man is about to fall to The Boss.”

Becky scoffs, “No way.”

The bartender nods and returns with two more shots in front of each. The girls clink their fourth glass and throw it back. Both women have grimaces on their face they can’t hide this time. Sasha coughs a few times before forcing out, “Think you can handle another?”

Becky glances over to the dance floor before saying, “Yo. What are the IIconics doing all up on your girl, Banks?”

“What?”

Sasha jerks her head around immediately, and Becky grabs her before she falls off her stool. Sasha squints her eyes at the sight before her, then slumps back into her seat for a moment.

 

X

 

Bayley had spent the last few minutes watching Sasha and Becky bicker while waiting for the bartender. Bayley was worried about her, praying that she doesn’t push herself past her limit. She promises herself that she’ll keep a careful eye on her. Bayley watches as the bartender finally walks up to the two girls before another person blocks her view.

“You promised us a dance tonight, Bayley,” Billie says, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger.

Bayley tries to lean around the two women to see Sasha, but there isn’t enough room. Vowing to slip past them in a second, Bayley replies, “Yeah, but I’m dancing with Carmella and Char—”

Bayley pauses, glancing around and noticing her two friends are nowhere to be found.

Peyton speak up, “We saw Carmella and Charlotte slip off a minute ago and thought we could come...keep you company.”

Bayley forces a smile on her face, “That’s nice of you guys.”

“We know,” the two agree simultaneously.

Bayley scratches the back of her head, “Did you two see Sasha over at the bar? With Becky?”

Peyton places her hand gently on Bayley’s arm, answering her with a reassuring voice, “We did, but she seems perfectly fine. Would you please dance with us?”

Billie pouts and places her hand on Bayley’s other arm, “Just one dance? You promised.”

Bayley furrows her eyebrows, looking down at the two hands on her arm. Her mind is a little fuzzy, feeling the effects of the three shots they had taken earlier plus the drink she had bought for herself.

The song in the background changes, and Billie cheers, “This is my favorite song! Bayley, please! Just one quick dance and we can all go check on Sasha.”

Bayley listens to the sultry beat of the song in the background, her eyebrows creasing further. She thinks for a moment that something weird might be going on here before shaking herself out of it. One dance and they can go find Sasha.

Bayley sighs, “Okay, fine. One dance.”

Billie smile widens, “One dance.”

At that, Peyton holds her hand out to take Bayley’s, who hesitantly places her hand in the one in front of her. Peyton gently pulls Bayley closer, wrapping her arms around Bayley’s neck. Bayley feels Billie come up from behind her, pressing lightly against her back.

The drinks coursing through her system combined with the IIconics wrapped around her clouds Bayley’s head for a moment. Bayley pulls herself out of the haze long enough to glance at the bar, seeking out Sasha as she always tends to do in moments of confusion.

She blinks a few times at the back of Sasha’s head before she sees her friend suddenly whip around and slip from the chair. Becky catches her, hoisting her back up onto her seat. Panicked at the sight, Bayley immediately pushes out of the grip of Billie and Peyton, who yell in protest as Bayley takes off toward Sasha.

Before she can get too far, a hand on her wrist stops her in her tracks. Bayley whips her head around to see Peyton behind her.

“We didn’t finish our dance,” she says with widened puppy eyes.

Bayley softens for a moment, “I— Sasha almost hurt herself. I just—need to check on her. I think she might have drunk too much. I was worried.”

Peyton looks at her carefully for a moment before her grip on Bayley’s wrist loosens, “Okay. Go...go take care of your girl.”

Bayley smiles shyly, “Um...she—she’s not my girl. But thanks.”

Peyton smiles kindly back, “You’re welcome.”

Peyton leans forward, placing a gentle kiss on Bayley’s cheek. A blush appears on Bayley’s face as Peyton releases her grip on Bayley’s wrist. Bayley smiles at her one more time before turning and walking off.

Billie steps up beside her, “Why did you let her go?”

Peyton watches Bayley continue to make her way toward Sasha, “She reminded me of you.”

“How?”

“She’s protective. Caring. And doesn’t ask for anything in return.”

Billie hums lightly, “Sounds like quite a catch.”

Peyton turns to Billie with a grin, “She is.”

 

X

 

Becky snaps her fingers in front of Sasha, “Banks. Banks. Sasha! What are you doing?”

Sasha is staring off in the distance at Bayley, tears welling up in her eyes, “Why doesn’t she love me, Becky?”

“What?” Becky asks, shocked at the question.

“I love her so much. But she’s out there with them,” Sasha wipes the tears from her cheeks and then looks at Becky with wet eyes, “Do you think she loves them, Becky? Wha—what are they doing? I can— I can do it too. For her. For Bayley.”

Sasha is slurring her words slightly at this point. Becky is holding her up on the stool while Sasha starts to cry. Becky starts to panic for a moment, not knowing what to say to comfort her drunk friend.

Becky looks at her friend sadly, “Sash, she does love you. Of course, she does.”

“No. No,” Sasha slurs out, “I love her. I love her, Becky. Like you— like you loved Charlotte. And she doesn’t love me back. Why won’t she love me back?”

Becky flinches at the mention of her ex-girlfriend but keeps trying to reassure her friend, “Sasha, she does love you. She hasn’t— Bayley hasn’t told me but I can see. She...looks at you the same way I looked at Charlotte.”

Sasha looks up at Becky desperately, “She does? Bayley looks at me like you looked at Charlotte?”

Becky sighs, “Yes. The same way I look at Charlotte.”

Sasha stares at her for a moment with almost clear eyes and opens her mouth to speak again, but the two are interrupted by Bayley. Bayley immediately wraps her arm around Sasha and starts whispering in her ear. Becky looks at the two before releasing Sasha.

Becky allows them a moment before speaking up, “You should probably take her home, Bayley. She’s not feeling too well.”

Bayley looks up at Becky with concerned eyes, “Why was she crying? She won’t tell me.”

Becky hesitates a moment before lying, “She wouldn’t tell me either. She just started crying out of nowhere.”

Bayley nods sharply. She looks at Becky for a moment longer, “Don’t drink with her like this again. It’s not good. For either of you, alright?”

Becky nods, “I know.”

“Good,” Bayley agrees, “I’m going to take her to the hotel. Are you coming?”

Becky shakes her head, “Nah. I’m gonna stay here for a moment longer. Leave with a couple of the other girls.”

“Alright. Just be careful, okay? I don’t want any of you hurt either,” Bayley pleads.

“We’ll be fine,” Becky assures, “You can go. Watch out for Banks. She looks pretty rough.”

“I always do,” Bayley says firmly.

Becky nods, “We know.”

At that, Bayley whispers quietly in Sasha’s ear again, arm still wrapped around the woman’s waist. Sasha nods at what was just said to her and attempts to stand. She slips a little, and Bayley’s second arm comes around her waist to hold her up. Sasha’s arms had moved instinctively to wrap around Bayley’s neck to steady herself.

Sasha looks up at Bayley through cloudy, drunk eyes.

An adoring smile appears on her face, “You’re so pretty, Bayley. I love you.”

Bayley laughs lightly and shakes her head, “I love you too, drunkie. Let’s get you back.”

Sasha giggles and releases her grip around Bayley’s neck. Bayley keeps a careful arm around her waist as the two walk out of the bar.

 

X

 

Becky stands watching them for a moment longer, feeling the effects of their drinking start to wash over her. She stumbles back over to their booth, finding Natalya sitting with Charlotte, Carmella, and Naomi.

She slides into the booth beside them. The girls all turn to face Becky.

“We failed again,” Becky says, “And also, Sasha is going to kill me for getting her sloppy drunk tomorrow.”

The girls at the table sigh, disappointed at their third failure.

Becky continues, “Bar was a bad idea. Sasha’s always been a crying drunk. Not a jealous one.”

Charlotte huffs, reluctantly agreeing with her ex, “She’s right. We should have remembered that.”

Natalya slams back the rest of her drink, “So, no drinking next time?”

“No drinking,” the girls at the table agree.

Silence washes over the group before Carmella breaks it, “So….who’s next?”

The rest of the girls look at Carmella with raised eyebrows.

Panicked, Carmella squeaks out, “No, no, no. Nope. Not me. Sasha will kill me.”

Charlotte’s eyes move to linger on Becky for a moment. Becky glances in her direction, noticing the gaze and quickly looking away. Charlotte sighs lightly.

“I’ll do it,” Charlotte suggests.

“What? No, you can’t!” Becky exclaims instantly.

Charlotte’s eyes fall back on Becky again. She firmly asks, “Why, Becky?”

Becky stutters out something incomprehensible, clearly drunk at this point.

Charlotte keeps a carefully leveled expression, “Tell me why you should have any say in what I can and can’t do. You dumped me. How is this your business?”

Becky’s eyes flash angrily and she snaps, “I know what I did. I’m The Champ because of it.”

Hurt washes over Charlotte at Becky’s words, but she pushes it back and steels herself. Charlotte looks toward Natalya.

“I’ll do it, Nattie,” Charlotte declares firmly.

“Charlotte,” Becky lets out quietly.

“Shut up, Becky,” Charlotte snaps.

Becky stares at Charlotte for a moment longer but the woman refuses to look back. Becky’s eyes look down at the table in resignation.

Natalya glances between the two before saying, “Okay, Charlotte. You’re next.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter? With Charlotte up to bat? And Becky watching in the background?
> 
> Hmmmmm...
> 
>  
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed!


	4. Plan D: Charlotte

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte's turn. Will she fare better than the IIconics? Either way, hijinks will ensure.
> 
> Also, please be prepared for a heavy dose of Charlynch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes! A new update! And this is....even longer than last time. 17K. There was a LOT of story to tell and none of these characters wanted to stfu and let me finish.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy!

When Charlotte Flair was young, one of the most important lessons she ever learned from her father was the importance of success. The job of a Flair was to succeed in every aspect of their life. To be the most intelligent, the most charming, the most cunning, the most dominant. A Flair was a winner. A victor. A champion. 

The Flair lifestyle was one of excess: an excess of money, an excess of people, an excess of things, and an excess of victory. Flairs weren’t just born great. Flairs were born the greatest. And all of the greats in history lived a life of excess. 

When she was young, Charlotte could bask in her father’s excess. She would sit in awe of his championship victories. She was surrounded by her Dad’s friends, girlfriends, and fans. Her Dad made sure Charlotte had everything that she wanted and more. And Charlotte’s childhood was so happy. It was like a dream.

But her Dad told her that when Charlotte grew up, she had to create her own excess. The Flair legacy had to be carried on. Success, money, charisma, dominance. She had to wield her father’s sword and rule her own kingdom. Flairs were victors, and Charlotte Flair would live up to that one day. She would never let her father down.

Charlotte Flair would be a champion.

From a young age, her Dad called her his little princess. The Flairs were a dynasty, and Charlotte Flair was their princess. 

Although she was crowned princess by her father, he never let her read any of the childhood stories about princesses. Her Dad told her all the stories about princesses were really about the knights and princes who saved them. But a Flair never needed saving. A Flair never needed help. Her Dad’s little princess did not need a knight or a prince. 

She was going to save herself.

Instead, her Dad read her stories about Queens. Queens who fought on their own. Presided over their own kingdoms. Queens who ruled women and men alike. Queens who took what they wanted and never looked back. Queens who were powerful. Who were rulers. Queens who were champions.

After the story, her Dad would tuck his little princess in bed and tell her that one day, she would grow up and become a Queen. Just like all of the Queens in the stories. Charlotte was part of the Flair dynasty, and, one day, she would rule. She would be a champion. 

Charlotte Flair would be the Queen.

It was her destiny. It was her birthright. It was Charlotte’s legacy.

Charlotte Flair needed to be a champion. 

At all costs.

 

X

 

“I’ll do it, Nattie,” Charlotte declares firmly.

“Charlotte,” Becky lets out quietly.

“Shut up, Becky,” Charlotte snaps.

Becky stares at Charlotte for a moment longer but the woman refuses to look back. Becky’s eyes look down at the table in resignation.

Natalya glances between the two before saying, “Okay, Charlotte. You’re next.”

Charlotte nods her head with a determined look in her eyes. She hears Becky let out an angry huff and watches her stand abruptly from the table. Becky looks at Charlotte for a moment with hurt, drunk eyes before pushing her way back to the bar. Charlotte watches her ex-girlfriend walk away from her and sighs at the familiar sight.

A tinge of worry settles in Charlotte as Becky stumbles a little in her path back to the bar. She wonders how much Becky has already had to drink that night. Maybe it’s not the best idea for Becky to be consuming even more alcohol, especially if she’s upset. Charlotte should probably– 

Mind her own business.

Becky has made it perfectly clear that she is not Charlotte’s business anymore. Becky does not want Charlotte’s concern, worry, or care. Charlotte closes her eyes tightly for a moment, nodding in resignation. She has no place in Becky’s life anymore, except as an enemy.

Charlotte returns to her conversation with the other girls at the table. Becky can drink herself into oblivion. Charlotte doesn’t care anymore, because she’s over Becky.

She has to be.

Charlotte spends the next hour or so sipping on her drink while engaging in light conversation with her friends. When she reaches the bottom of her glass, Charlotte turns to the other girls at the table, asking them if they want anything else from the bar.

The girls all wave her off, and Charlotte nods her head before making her own way to the bar. Instinctually, Charlotte begins to scan the bar for Becky, wanting to check on the girl. She tries to shake herself out of it but catches sight of Becky leaning against the bar. Not able to stop herself, Charlotte looks closer and notices that Becky is talking to...Alexa?

Subtly, Charlotte moves within listening distance, making sure neither girl notices her presence. She catches them in the middle of their conversation.

“–trying to say sorry. I don’t want to fight, mostly because you have abnormally large, strong hands. But also because I think we are similar.” Alexa says.

Charlotte hears Becky huff angrily, “You must be out of your damn mind if you think we have a thing in common.”

Alexa pursues her lips in response, “Don’t act so holier than thou. You’re no better than me.”

Becky lets out a sarcastic laugh, “Have to disagree with ya there, lass. I’m The Champ and you’re what? An injured, beaten GM now?”

Alexa retorts, “Yeah, and who just got her face broken in front of the entire world and had to miss the biggest match of her career?”

Becky shoots back meanly, “I’m cleared now. And I’ll get to Ronnie whenever I damn well please. You’re still injured, and lil ole’ Ronnie whooped your ass for your title. Pretty sure that does make me better.”

Charlotte sees Alexa clench her fists before taking a deep breath. She speaks with a tense, leveled voice, “I meant we are similar because both of us will do anything to have that title. I stomp on anyone who gets in my way. I put myself and my career before anyone else and you do too. Hell, you betrayed your own girlfriend because she became an inconvenience that got in your way.”

A wave of hurt courses through Charlotte at being referred to as an inconvenience to her ex-girlfriend. She swallows tightly and decides to walk off before Becky agrees with Alexa. Charlotte doesn’t know if she can stand to hear Becky call Charlotte an obstacle too. But before she could walk away, Becky speaks up again.

Becky raises her voice in anger, “I already told you to watch your fucking mouth about her, Bliss.”

Alexa rolls her eyes, “Oh, please. Why do you even act like you care? That title means more to you than Charlotte ever did. You’ve made that clear to everyone, most of all Charlotte.”

Charlotte agrees with Alexa silently. Becky doesn’t care. Hell, maybe she never cared. Maybe Charlotte was the only one that was ever in love. 

Becky takes a step closer to Alexa and her voice grows harsher, “You don’t know anything, and you better shut your mouth. There’s no one here to hold me back this time. If I swing, I won’t miss.”

Alexa scoffs, “Are you seriously going to try to fight me over Charlotte again? Getting a little pathetic here, Lynch. What? You pining after a relationship you ruined?”

Charlotte gasps quietly at the realization that their altercation in the locker room was about her. It shouldn’t have been that surprising considering the only person they refused to tell was Charlotte, but Charlotte can’t believe Becky could still care enough to fight anyone over Charlotte. She just wishes she knew what the fight was about. Why was Becky so angry? What did Alexa say about her?

A growl slips from Becky’s throat, “I don’t pine over anyone.”

“Then why did you try to attack me when I insinuated that maybe someone other than you was crawling into Charlotte’s bed at night? Seems to me like someone would only do that if they cared,” Alexa taunts. 

Becky’s hand slams down against the bar as everything around Charlotte seems to freeze. Becky tried to hit Alexa... because she didn’t like Alexa saying that Charlotte could be with someone else? With this new knowledge, two conflicting feelings emerge within Charlotte. First, she is furious. How dare Becky leave her and then get angry that Charlotte could possibly move on? What gives her the right to think she has any claim left on Charlotte? Charlotte can be with anyone, and Becky should have nothing to say about it.

But, second, Charlotte feels a stab of longing wash over her. Becky cares if Charlotte was with someone else. Becky gets angry at the thought of Charlotte’s bed being filled by another person. As much as it angers Charlotte, it confuses her too. Like Alexa said, why would Becky get angry if she didn’t still care? If she didn’t want Charlotte at least a little bit? 

A part of Charlotte she had desperately buried after Summerslam emerges, and she longs for Becky to admit to Alexa that Becky cares. Admit to her that she still wants Charlotte. That maybe Becky even needs Charlotte. The feeling washes over her, and Charlotte feels like it might consume her. 

Charlotte sees Alexa jump slightly at the sound of Becky’s hand slamming against the bar.

Becky’s drunk eyes narrow into slits and she impulsively spits out, “I don’t give a shit about anything other than MY title and kicking Ronnie’s ass. And if Charlotte got in the way of any of that, I wouldn’t hesitate to toss her aside just like I did at Summerslam. I. Don’t. Care. About. Her. And I never will again.”

There is a pause in the conversation. Alexa seems shocked at the ferocity and viciousness laced behind Becky’s words

The words echo in Charlotte’s mind. 

‘I wouldn't hesitate to toss her aside just like I did at Summerslam.’

They pierce deep into Charlotte’s skin and drip poison directly into her veins. Charlotte can feel it spread throughout her. 

‘I. Don’t. Care. About. Her.’

They burn Charlotte’s insides as they race toward her heart, consuming her entire body. 

‘And I never will again.’

A final blow hits her as the poison seeps into her heart. Then, there is...nothing. The poison filled her heart. Becky’s words reverberate in her mind. She can’t shake them. Yet, Charlotte feels nothing.

Her body goes numb. Her mind goes blank. She just feels...empty. A painful emptiness that makes Charlotte feel paralyzed. There’s nothing. An all-consuming nothingness. Charlotte knows that she is supposed to react to those words. To feel something. To be hurt or angry or devastated. And somewhere in the back of her mind, she can feel those things. But they are out of reach. Charlotte can’t connect with them. They are untouchable. 

She looks at Becky, and the emptiness in her heart aches. The utter devastation and sadness that have been numbed try to scratch and claw their way out of Charlotte’s chest. Try to leap out of her and scream at Becky, ‘Please, come back. I’m still here. I can’t leave. Why could you?’

But Charlotte’s heart has been cut open so many times that it has ruined her. Deep inside, Charlotte thinks that no one could put the pieces back together except Becky. 

But Becky will never care again.

And Charlotte is bleeding out.

Charlotte turns and silently walks out of the bar. It’s raining outside. The rain is pouring over Charlotte, but she feels nothing.

 

X

 

“Sweetie, all you are doing is lying to yourself,” Alexa responds.

Becky hesitates and takes a deep breath, regretting her words immediately. 

“I don’t owe you any explanation about my feelings toward Charlotte,” Becky answers cooly.

Alexa pauses. Then, she perceptively observes, “That’s a change of pace from saying you don’t care about her at all.”

“Maybe it is,” Becky admits quietly before walking away from Alexa.

She doesn’t want to continue this conversation. Alexa watches Becky watch off silently, an exasperated look on her face.

Becky never knew Charlotte was there. Alexa did.

 

X

Bayley struggles to fit the keycard into their hotel room door as she holds up a drunk, giggling Sasha Banks. Bayley has her arm wrapped around Sasha’s waist to steady her as the woman leans into her, arm around her neck and face pressed into her hair. Sasha is giggling against her, and Bayley shivers as Sasha’s breath ghosts across her ear. 

Bayley finally unlocks the door, coaxing Sasha gently, “C’mon, Sash. Time to get you in bed.”

A husky voice whispers into Bayley’s ear, “Mmm. You’re gonna take me to bed?”

Bayley’s eyes widen at the implication and a hot blush paints her cheeks. Bayley reminds herself that Sasha is drunk, and she doesn’t know what she’s saying right now.

“Sasha,” Bayley says, in a tone that was intended to serve as a warning but instead comes across weak and pleading.

“Bayley,” Sasha whispers, deep voice washing lightly over Bayley’s ear.

Bayley stifles a whimper and sucks in a deep breath. Sasha doesn’t know what she’s doing. She is just Bayley’s best friend. It doesn’t matter how Bayley feels. Bayley couldn’t have ever imagined a world where she would get to say that Sasha is her best friend, much less one where Sasha has real, romantic feelings for her. Where Sasha is in love with Bayley, just as much as Bayley is in love with Sasha.

Bayley scolds herself for even considering it for a moment. For allowing herself to react to drunken words from her best friend that Sasha probably doesn’t even understand the implications behind. Bayley tightens her grip around her best friend’s waist and half-drags the woman into their hotel room.

They splurged tonight and got two separate beds. Mostly at Bayley’s urging, due to her being too nervous to share a bed with Sasha on a night where she knew both would probably return to the room intoxicated. 

Bayley guides Sasha over to her bed, leaving her side for a moment to grab a large t-shirt from Sasha’s travel bag. She grabs the biggest one, knowing from experience that it’s Sasha’s favorite. Moving back over to the bed, she is surprised that Sasha has somehow managed to keep herself sitting upright. Sasha is staring at Bayley with wide eyes, a drunk grin on her face.

When Bayley gets close enough, Sasha immediately moves to wrap both of her arms around Bayley’s neck, jerking Bayley forward. Sasha’s legs move up to hook around Bayley’s waist. Bayley feels a face press into her neck, and Sasha lets out a deep, pleased sigh at the contact.

Bayley swallows tightly, forcing back any reaction to the embrace. Sasha may be a crying drunk, but she is also a clingy one. That is all this is. Bayley carefully keeps her hands off Sasha, not willing to ever take advantage of her friend.

Instead, Bayley whispers, “Sasha, you gotta get ready for bed. I got your favorite t-shirt to sleep in. If you change, I’ll go to the bathroom and grab makeup wipes and your glasses for you, alright?”

Sasha nods into her neck and hums, nuzzling further into Bayley. Bayley pauses for a moment, waiting for Sasha to release her. 

Sasha does not release her.

“Sash, you need to let go of me so I can go get your stuff,” Bayley coaxes, moving her hands up in an attempt to gently remove Sasha’s arms from around her.

Sasha whines into her neck, shaking her head. Her arms tighten around Bayley’s neck and pull her closer. Bayley closes her eyes for a moment at the feeling of Sasha wrapped around her. It feels so right. For a moment, Bayley allows herself to think that maybe she could have this. That maybe Sasha could actually—

No. Bayley could never be that lucky. Bayley turns and presses a gentle kiss into Sasha’s hair. 

“Sasha,” Bayley sighs, “I need to get your stuff. You can’t sleep in your makeup and contacts.”

“No,” Sasha protests grumpily into Bayley’s neck.

“Sasha,” Bayley warns.

Sasha sighs adoringly, “Bayley.”

Sasha removes her arms from around Bayley’s neck, placing a hand on Bayley’s cheek. She looks at Bayley and softly mutters, “My Bayley.”

Again, Bayley feels a blush spread across her face and her eyes drop to the floor in embarrassment. Sasha giggles happily for a moment before a sudden frown appears on her face. The mood in the room seems to shift.

“You don’t love them, do you?” Sasha asks, almost desperately. 

Bayley furrows her eyebrows and looks back up, confused at the change in Sasha’s demeanor, “Do I love who?”

“The IIconics,” Sasha answers with a pout on her face.

“I mean,” Bayley starts slowly, still confused by the question, “They’re alright. I don’t really know them well enough to love them. I guess I like them.”

Sasha frowns but stays silent for a moment. Her legs drop from Bayley’s waist, and she removes her hand from Bayley’s cheek. Bayley misses the contact almost immediately. Sasha seems to pull away slightly from Bayley, almost receding into herself. She looks down at the bed and closes her eyes tightly, seeming to brace herself for something.

Sasha looks up with a clear vulnerability now present in her eyes. She opens her mouth before hesitating, then asks, “What about Carmella?”

The room is silent. Bayley is trying to understand what is happening, but her own mind is slightly clouded. Although she didn’t drink nearly as much as Sasha, she can still feel the alcohol’s light effect on her that’s preventing her from fully understanding the questions from Sasha.

“What do you mean?” Bayley asks, breaking the silence.

“Do you,” Sasha swallows, “Do you love her? Do you love Carmella?”

Again, Bayley pauses. She looks at Sasha, and from the pleading expression on her best friend’s face, Bayley knows there is a right answer to this question. She just isn’t sure what it is. She doesn’t know what Sasha is asking. Or why. 

So Bayley answers honestly, “I do love Carmella.”

Sasha looks stricken and tears well up in her eyes. She lets out a quiet, “Oh,” and curls further into herself. Bayley begins to panic when she realizes that she has upset Sasha. Bayley can see a tear make its way down Sasha’s face, and Bayley’s thumb moves to gently wipe it away without a thought. She leaves her hand resting on Sasha’s cheek.

Softly, Bayley questions, “Sasha, why are crying? What’s wrong?”

Sasha sniffles and shakes her head. Another tear escapes Sasha’s eyes, and Bayley moves to wipe that one away too.

“Sasha, honey, please don’t cry. What’s wrong? What did I say?” Bayley pleads. 

Sasha glances up to meet Bayley’s eyes before quickly looking back down. Quietly, she asks, “Do you love her more?”

Bayley’s thumb strokes Sasha’s cheek and she asks, “More than what?”

Sasha meets Bayley’s eyes again, “Do you love Carmella more than you love me? Do you love me?”

Bayley sighs in realization. Clearly, spending time with Carmella tonight brought up past insecurities. Sasha has always been worried about Carmella’s place in Bayley’s life. Always worried that maybe Bayley grew to care more about Carmella when Bayley was still down in NXT and Sasha was on the main roster. Worried that now, with Carmella separated from Bayley on Smackdown, that Sasha was a stand-in for Carmella. It all came back to that. Sasha worried that Bayley would rather be Carmella’s best friend than Sasha’s. 

Bayley knew how much Sasha cared about Bayley’s friendship. How much that friendship meant to Sasha. And Sasha doesn’t really do friends. At least, not close friends like Bayley and Sasha are. She never really had those friends as a kid, being enrolled in online schools not allowing her to form those initial childhood bonds of friendships. So now, Bayley knows that friendship is even more valuable to Sasha.

That is why Sasha needs to know how important she is to Bayley. She needs to be sure that Bayley values their friendship, and that Bayley won’t leave her. Apparently, Bayley hasn’t done a good enough job of making sure Sasha knows that.

“Sasha,” Bayley begins assuringly, “Of course I love you. You know that. You are the most important person in my life, and I’m sorry if I haven’t made that clear. I do love Carmella, and I do miss her since she’s been on Smackdown. But, she’s not you. I wouldn’t trade you for Carmella or anyone else in the world.”

Sasha stares at Bayley, almost in awe at her words. Sasha’s hand moves up to Bayley’s hand on her cheek, pulling it away and intertwining their fingers. Sasha places her other hand on top of their fingers, lightly stroking Bayley’s hand with her thumb. The room is silent for a moment as Sasha stares down at their hands while Bayley looks at Sasha. Like she has so many times before.

Bayley thinks, ‘God, she is the most beautiful woman in the world.’

Bayley feels this deep ache in her chest. A longing. Bayley swears that Sasha has some kind of magnetic pull over her. Bayley feels as if she is almost in a trance when she’s around Sasha. It scares Bayley when she thinks about just how far she’d go to protect Sasha. To take care of her. 

Sasha’s voice pulls Bayley from her thoughts, “Bay, I’m tired.”

Bayley sighs, “Okay, honey. Let me get your contact case and a makeup wipe. I’ve got your shirt right here for you to sleep in.”

Sasha nods and grabs the shirt. Bayley smiles at her before turning toward the bathroom. She gathers the makeup wipe, Sasha’s contact case, and her contact solution. She walks back into the room to see Sasha struggling to lift her blouse over her head. She’s got her arms over her head, but the blouse seems to be stuck around her neck. Sasha’s bra and stomach are left exposed, and Bayley takes in a sharp breath at the sight.

Seconds after, Bayley realizes this is not a sight meant for her, and her eyes shoot up. It is one thing to look at Sasha when she is in the ring. Sasha has voluntarily put on her ring gear and walked out into the ring with it. At this moment, Sasha is drunk and is not intending to expose herself. And there is something inherently more intimate about Sasha in lingerie rather than ring gear. 

Bayley will not violate Sasha. She never would. She forces herself to concentrate on the blouse, not Sasha’s body, and walks over to help her struggling, drunk friend. 

Bayley sets downs the items she gathered from the bathroom on the bed and asks, “Sash, do you need help with your shirt?”

Sasha laughs at the question and asks for Bayley’s help. Bayley easily lifts the blouse over Sasha’s head, and then immediately looks for the t-shirt she retrieved from Sasha’s suitcase earlier. She grabs the shirt and turns to hand it to Sasha when a hand grabs her wrist.

Bayley hears Sasha ask, “Bayley, do you think I’m pretty?”

Bayley, keeping her eyes carefully trained away from Sasha, reassures her friend, “Of course I do. You’re beautiful, Sasha. Did someone say something to you online again? I’ve told you Sash, they don’t know what they’re talking about.”

Sasha releases her wrist and grabs Bayley’s free hand. 

Out of the corner of her eyes, Bayley can see Sasha shake her head, “No one said anything.”

“Good,” Bayley nods and hands Sasha her shirt, “I’ve got everything you need out of the bathroom. If you put your shirt on, take your contacts out, and wipe your makeup off, then you can finally sleep. I’ll take everything back to the bathroom for you.”

Bayley moves to gather her own things for the night while Sasha gets ready for bed. When Bayley has changed, she turns to see Sasha wiping her makeup off. Bayley smiles gently at the sight and makes her way back over to her friend. When Bayley reaches Sasha, the woman hands over the rest of her stuff. Before Bayley can walk back to the bathroom, Sasha places her hand on Bayley’s cheek, staring at her with searching eyes for a few seconds.

Sasha breathes, “You are so good to me, Bay.”

Silence lingers between the two as Sasha looks at Bayley, almost longingly. Her gaze seems to be searching for something from Bayley. But Bayley’s mind is clouded, and she’s exhausted. Bayley can’t understand what’s happening.

Bayley laughs nervously, “Yeah well, um, that’s what friends are for?”

A look Bayley can’t quite decipher flashes on Sasha’s face for a moment before quickly disappearing. In its place, a smile appears that seems almost forced. Sasha looks at her with clear eyes.

She removes her hand from Bayley’s cheek, “Yes. A very good friend.”

Everything seems to pause for a moment as Bayley and Sasha lapse into silence. Bayley looks into Sasha’s eyes before she momentarily loses her will and glances at Sasha’s lips. Panicking, Bayley looks up and away from her friend, beginning to walk backward toward the bathroom.

Bayley splutters out, “I’m gonna go the bathroom, and, um, take off my teeth and brush my makeup. I-I mean brush my teeth and take off my makeup. Um, yeah. I’ll be back?”

Bayley scampers away into the bathroom amidst the sound of Sasha giggling. When she returns from the bathroom, Bayley sees Sasha lying under the covers with her eyes closed. Assuming she’s asleep, Bayley moves to turn off the lamp between their beds. After flicking the lamp off, she turns to get into her own bed, when she hears a quiet voice. Bayley strains her ears to hear but couldn’t make out what Sasha was saying.

“What was that? I couldn’t hear you,” Bayley whispers.

Sasha repeats herself, “Please come sleep with me tonight.”

“We-we always sleep separately when we get two beds,” Bayley answers nervously.

“I know. Just for tonight,” Sasha whispers.

Bayley hesitates for a moment, not sure how to answer. Sleeping in the same bed out of financial necessity is one thing. Sleeping in the same bed voluntarily? Bayley doesn’t want to confuse things in her mind. Sasha only wants friendship, and Bayley needs to draw lines. Otherwise, she’s just breaking her own heart over and over.

“Please, Bayley,” Sasha begs, “Please.”

Bayley closes her eyes and exhales loudly, already knowing what she is about to do. Since they met, in good times or bad times, one thing remained true. Bayley has never been able to walk away from Sasha. 

She turns and pulls back the covers, settling on her back in the bed with Sasha. Bayley closes her eyes and the room lapses into silence again. The sound of shuffling in the bed disrupts the quiet room, and Bayley feels Sasha wrap around her. A hand settles on Bayley’s waist under her shirt. A leg comes to rest over her own. And Bayley feels Sasha’s nose against her neck.

“Bayley,” Sasha says, lips brushing against Bayley’s neck.

Bayley sleepily hums in response.

Sasha says, “You are the most important person in my life too. Maybe the only important one.”

Bayley’s heart aches. They are sharing a bed because they want to like lovers. Sasha is in her arms like a lover. Bayley takes care of Sasha like a lover. 

But they are just friends. 

There are no lines, and Bayley is so confused.

 

X

 

The next morning, Charlotte awakes to a pounding on her hotel room door. Charlotte checks the time on her phone beside her and lets out a loud groan. The pounding continues, and Charlotte can feel the beginnings of a headache forming. Huffing angrily, Charlotte pulls herself out of bed, slips a robe on, and makes her way over to the door.

Jerking the door open, Charlotte scowls when she realizes who is in front of her, “What the hell are you doing here?”

“We are all meeting downstairs for breakfast to talk about our next steps. They made me come get you,” Alexa answered disinterestedly.

Charlotte evaluated the woman with narrowed eyes, “Why would they send you?”

Alexa shrugs her shoulders, looking down at her phone she had just slipped out of her pocket, “Don’t know. Didn’t ask.”

Charlotte rolls her eyes, “Wow, you’re so helpful.”

Still looking down, Alexa replies, “You’re welcome.”

Charlotte takes in a deep breath, not having the energy to kill someone and hide the body this early in the morning. The lack of response causes Alexa to look up from her phone, eyeing Charlotte with a raised eyebrow. 

“Well,” Alexa asks, “You coming? You’re kind of the star of this round, so you probably need to be at the meeting.”

Charlotte stays silent, simply glaring at the woman who coaxed Becky into saying everything she did at that bar. 

“Although, let’s be real,” Alexa continues, “If the IIconics couldn’t pull it off, then you definitely can’t crack Sasha.”

Another scowl appears on Charlotte’s face, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m just being a realist,” Alexa points out, “How is Sasha going to view you as a threat? You’re both of their friends, and you’ve spent the last months pining for your ex. Not to mention, you’ve probably called Sasha and Bayley crying about her. Why would you suddenly go after Bayley? Sasha is just going to think you’re either being friendly or hurt and seeking comfort again.”

At the mention of Becky, Charlotte closes her eyes tightly and inhales sharply, barely able to stop herself from strangling Alexa. Charlotte truly doesn’t understand how this woman is able to make everyone around her want her dead. Charlotte opens her eyes and directs them back at Alexa.

Taking one last deep breath, Charlotte tightly replies, “If anyone can pull this off, it’s going to be The Queen. I don’t lose.”

“Oh?” Alexa smiles sarcastically, “Can I come in your room then and look at your Smackdown Women’s Championship? It’s been so long since I held the belt. It must miss me.”

Charlotte looks at Alexa darkly, “Don’t push me.”

Alexa blinks owlishly at Charlotte, “Oh, no! Are you going to kick my ass like you did Becky’s at Evolution? Wait, actually, I think it was the other way around.”

Charlotte’s hand jerks forward to grab Alexa but she stops herself before she makes contact. Charlotte breathes deeply, and her hand drops back to her side. A silence engulfs them. A strange look Charlotte can’t recognize flashes through Alexa’s eyes for a moment.

Alexa says, almost hesitantly, “You seem to have much more control over your actions and words than Becky.”

Charlotte eyes her, “What does that mean?”

Alexa carefully replies, “I don’t know. You probably just don’t do...or say...as many things in the moment that you regret.”

Charlotte studies the woman at her door for a moment. Did Alexa know Charlotte was there last night? If so, then what was she trying to do? And why is she saying this about Becky now? 

Too exhausted to try to figure Alexa out, Charlotte responds, “I’m going to get ready. Tell the girls I’ll be downstairs in 20.”

Before Alexa can reply, Charlotte lets the door slam closed in front of her. She walks back to the bed and collapses onto it. Grabbing her phone, Charlotte texts Natalya, “Why did you send Alexa up here?”

Charlotte closes her eyes. A minute passes before her phone buzzes. Charlotte's eyes scan Natalya’s reply.

“We didn’t. She volunteered.”

Charlotte pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration. She shoots a reply to Nattie confirming she will be downstairs soon, sets her phone down, and starts to get ready. Charlotte really doesn’t have time to try to make sense of Alexa. 

 

X

 

Natalya sips her coffee lightly, surrounded by her girls after another failed night. Most of the girls are quietly eating breakfast, too hungover to engage in loud conversation. Natalya, being the group leader (and most of the time, the group mom), didn’t drink nearly as much as the rest of the girls. Which means it was her job last night to wrangle the rest of the women out of the club and back to their rooms.

Most of the girls, strangely excluding Alexa, were extremely drunk. And, of course, they decided to make Natalya’s life difficult. The worst of all being Carmella, who Natalya had to pull down from the bar, as the woman was attempting to strip to the club music. After getting the woman down, Natalya shot fierce glares at all the men booing her for stopping Carmella.

Natalya looks at all the girls groggily eating their breakfast and sees Charlotte approaching out of the corner of her eye. Natalya smiles at her friend, patting the seat beside her. Charlotte smiles back gratefully and gestures that she is going to grab breakfast from the hotel buffet before joining the group. Natalya nods kindly, returning to her own breakfast. 

On her other side, Natalya feels a head rest against her shoulder. Natalya sighs at the woman. She lifts her hand, lightly carding her fingers through Ember’s hair. Ember woke up in their room this morning and immediately sprinted to the bathroom. Natalya had escorted her back to bed after, handing her a bottle of water and some Advil. Ember’s hangover was still in full effect.

Natalya hears Charlotte sitting down beside her with a plate of food and glances around at the table of women again. She knows all of them would much rather be in bed sleeping their hangovers off, but she is truly appreciative they all decided to venture out to talk about their next steps. Even though a free breakfast probably helped draw them out as well. 

Either way, it warms Natalya’s heart at how much the group has bonded since they started this Bayley and Sasha project. She can feel the bond between them as she looks around at the women. Like Ember, Natalya sees Carmella with her head resting on Asuka’s shoulder. Naomi is stealing food off Becky’s plate while Becky allows her while pretending to be irritated by it. Hell, even Alexa is talking to Peyton and Billie. 

At this point, the group is starting to feel more like a family than a team Natalya haphazardly organized.

A warm smile spread across Natalya’s face, and she beckons for the group’s attention. As the girls all groggily turn to face her, Natalya looks at Charlotte, seeking permission to begin. She wanted to give Charlotte one last time to step down. She was met with steely, determined eyes and a firm nod.

Natalya turned back to the group.

“So,” Natalya solemnly begins, “We failed again last night.”

Tired groans erupted around the table.

“Sorry, guys,” Peyton and Billie chime in.

Natalya interrupts, “It’s not your fault. We didn’t factor in Sasha being a sad drinker. We expected anger, not sobbing. It was all of our faults.”

Nods of agreement ring around the table. Charlotte and Becky, who know Sasha the best, look especially sheepish.

Alexa speaks up, “Actually, it’s not my fault. Naomi told me my job was to avoid Sasha, and I did. Where is my thank you?”

Becky grumpily retorts, “I’d sure be a lot more thankful if you’d go literally anywhere else.”

Naomi slaps Becky’s arm and glares at her. Becky glares back, but then angrily huffs and looks down at her plate. Naomi shifts her glare to Alexa who lets out an exaggerated sigh and mutters out a short, insincere apology to the group.

“Anyway,” Natalya begins firmly, “Are we all under agreement to try again?”

Once again, everyone around the table seems to be nodding. They have already put so much time into this that no one really wants to back out at this point. 

“Alright,” Natalya says, “Then, we have already had one of you kindly volunteer to flirt with Bayley this time.”

 

Several of the girls in the group turn toward Carmella, expecting her to be the one up next. Carmella shrinks down in her seat, letting out a nervous, loud, “Not me!” Several of the other hotel guests glare in her direction before resuming their breakfast.

“Okay, well,” Ember says, “If it’s not Carmella, then who volunteered?”

The rest of the girls glance around the table at each other before Charlotte speaks up, “I did.”

At the other end of the table, Becky’s arms cross and a dark frown marred her features. The ladies at the table seem surprised and glance at Becky nervously out of the corner of their eyes, having witnessed her altercation with Alexa during one of their previous meetings. 

Charlotte notices Becky’s irritation and asks, “Anybody got any problems with that?”

Charlotte is clearly daring Becky to speak up. Silence sweeps over the table for a moment as everyone waits for Becky to erupt. However, Becky stays silent, choosing to glare down at her own toast.

“Good,” Charlotte says flippantly, “Then we can start planning.”

“So,” Billie begins, “Since our club plan failed are we going to go back to just trying to make Sasha jealous at work?”

Carmella speaks up next, “I think we had the right idea doing it outside of work. Maybe just the wrong execution?”

Natalya adds, “I agree with Carmella. I think trying outside of work—”

“You’re welcome for that idea!” Alexa inserts unhelpfully. 

The girls around the table huff or roll their eyes at her interruption. A slight smile of amusement crosses Naomi’s face before she stifles it. Alexa is annoying, but her boldness and selfishness can be amusing sometimes.

“Anyway,” Natalya says pointedly, “I think our last attempt was the best and part of that was due to it being outside of work. But it was a crowded environment. There were too many outside factors and different people. We need a more controlled space that’s still outside the realm of work.”

Naomi nods in agreement, “Natalya’s right. Does anybody have any suggestions?”

The girls look around the table at each other but no one speaks up. Charlotte is looking at her plate with critical eyes, sweeping through ideas in her mind. But she has nothing that’s truly perfect. A silence has come across the table when Ember’s phone dings. 

She turns to Natalya, “Are we still riding together tomorrow? I just got a text saying my rental car was confirmed.”

Natalya nods at her kindly, “Of course we are. What time is it available?”

“THAT IS IT!” Asuka yells suddenly.

More hotel guests look at the girls’ table angrily, some jumping at the sound of Asuka’s voice. Several of the girls at the table startle slightly too at the sudden disruption. Most especially Peyton, who went from peacefully sleeping on Billie’s shoulder to almost falling out of her chair in fear.

Naomi is the first to gather herself back together. 

She turns to Asuka and asks, “What is what?”

Asuka looks at her eagerly, “THAT is it!”

Naomi responds, “Okay, but none of us know what it is. You gotta clarify with us, girl.”

Asuka points at Ember, “A car ride.”

The girls around the table furrow their eyebrows trying to figure out what Asuka means. Naomi studies her friend for a moment before realization comes over her. 

A wide smile appears on Naomi’s face, “Asuka, you’re a genius.”

Asuka smiles widely and nods back. The rest of the girls still have confused expressions on their faces. The only other woman not looking confused is Becky, who is still grumpily pouting and glaring at her breakfast.

Alexa rolls her eyes and frowns, “Okay, this sweet little connection the two of you have going on is totally adorable, but the rest of us here who aren’t mind-readers would like to know what is going on.”

Naomi narrows her eyes at Alexa before looking at Charlotte, “Bayley and Sasha always ride together, right?”

Charlotte nods demurely. The two women have ridden together since Bayley was moved up to the main roster. 

“Well,” Naomi reveals with a grin, “Asuka wants to make their duo a trio tomorrow.”

Charlotte glances at Asuka before turning back to Naomi, “I’m listening.”

Naomi starts talking through Asuka’s idea, “We need you to ask to ride with Bayley and Sasha tomorrow. It’s the perfect idea. You are still technically outside of work, and you’re in a controlled environment. In a small car, there is nothing and no one else that can interfere. And Sasha can’t run you off. She will be trapped with you for hours while you flirt with Bayley.”

Charlotte looks impressed and satisfied with the idea. The other girls at the table nod in approval. Ember smiles at Asuka and high fives the woman, whispering her approval of the idea to Asuka. Asuka looks around the table with a proud grin shining on her face.

Without looking up from her plate, Becky pipes up, “Ya know the two of them are just gonna ignore ya the whole ride, right?”

The rest of the girls look nervous as they watch Charlotte shoot a glare in Becky’s direction. Charlotte lets out a sharp. “What?” in response.

Becky chuckles sarcastically, “They’re in love. Those two are shoving you straight into the backseat and ya won’t be getting a word in the whole drive. Good luck with that one, Queenie.”

Charlotte’s eyes narrow, and she looks like she’s about to leap across the table and strangle Becky. Natalya notices and places her hand lightly on Charlotte’s arm. She looks at Charlotte with raised eyebrows, silently warning her that Charlotte doesn’t want to do this here. Charlotte frowns and lifts her head slightly but composes herself.

“I mean,” Ember speaks up nervously, “She may not be wrong.”

Becky smirks, “The Champ is always right.”

Charlotte rolls her eyes, refusing to even glance in Becky’s direction. After what she overheard last night, Charlotte is done with the woman. For good. She needs to stop letting Becky get under her skin.

Natalya questions, “So, if Charlotte is just going to get ignored if it’s the three of them in a car, then what do we need to do?”

“Why don’t we just put a fourth person in the car,” Carmella proposes, “The fourth person could force themselves into the front seat to separate Bayley and Sasha. Sasha usually drives, so that would leave Bayley and Charlotte in the backseat together.”

An irritated scowl appears on Becky’s face, knowing that the problem she saw was fixed. Becky tries to think of another problem with the plan but can’t come up with a single thing wrong. The scowl on her face grows angrier, and she stabs her eggs with her fork harshly.

“That sounds like it might work,” Natalya says brightly.

Charlotte grins, “It will definitely work. A Flair doesn’t fail.”

Around the table, Becky and Alexa roll their eyes at the declaration. The other women seem excited at the prospect of the new plan.

Noticing another problem, Billie asks, “So who is going to be the fourth person in the car?”

The girls around the table stay silent for a moment, seeing if anyone will speak up. None of them are particularly interested in splitting off from their usual riding partners to sit beside a jealous, furious Sasha for hours on end.

A gruff voice interrupts the silence, “I’m going.”

Charlotte glares at her, barking out, “You of all people are not coming with us, Becky.”

Becky raises an eyebrow, “Ya see any other volunteers, Flair? I pointed out the problem. I should come along.”

“Why do you even want to go?” Charlotte asks tensely.

Becky raises an eyebrow, “Why do you care so much if I go?”

Charlotte lets out an annoyed groan, “I can’t sit in a car with you for three hours.”

“Oh, and ya think you’re just a walk in the park, lass? Please,” Becky shoots back.

Charlotte’s exhales deeply and closes her eyes, trying to stay calm. The last thing she needs is for Becky to know she can still get under her skin. Charlotte bites her cheek and her jaw locks in frustration.

“Fine,” Charlotte says through clenched teeth, “You can come.”

Becky puts a sarcastic smile on her face, “How generous. Thank ya kindly, Flair.”

Charlotte rolls her eyes and stands from the table, “I’m going to track Bayley and Sasha down to ask for a ride. Becky can ask for one after me. Natalya, is there anything else we need to go over?”

Natalya looks around the table, “Does anybody else have anything to say?”

The girls at the table stay quiet, all too afraid to speak up and spark another argument between Becky and Charlotte. Natalya shrugs her shoulders and looks between Charlotte and Becky.

“Do you two need any other help?”

Charlotte answers, “Neither of us need help.”

Becky lifts her head, “Don’t speak for me. Ya don’t know what I want.”

Charlotte sighs in frustration, “Yeah, and apparently I never did.”

The rest of the girls hold their breath and stare intensely down at their own food. Another fight is about to erupt, and none of them want any part of it. Except for Billie and Peyton, who are hiding amused smiles behind their hands. 

Becky’s eyes narrow at Charlotte. She opens her mouth for a moment to say something but then stays silent and bites her cheek. Charlotte and Becky stay locked in an intense, heated glare while the girls watch on in fear of an eruption.

Charlotte breaks the silence, “Do you need anything?”

“No,” Becky bites back.

“Good,” Charlotte nods stiffly, “I’m leaving. I’ll text the group when I find Bayley and Sasha.”

Charlotte walks away as the girls around the table breathe sighs of relief. Becky’s gaze follows Charlotte as she leaves the table and walks out of sight. Her eyes linger on the last spot she saw Charlotte. After a few seconds, she shakes her head and pulls herself out of whatever trance she was in. 

Becky turns back to the girls, “I’m leaving too. The Champ needs her rest.”

The girls all nod their goodbyes to Becky, Carmella shooting her an encouraging smile. Becky stands from the table, dumps her mostly uneaten breakfast in the trash, and walks back to her room.

 

X 

 

The morning of Summerslam Charlotte awakes to a kiss on the forehead from her girlfriend, who had snuck out earlier to bring Charlotte breakfast in bed. A feeling of absolute happiness and content had washed gently over her as Becky crawled back into the hotel bed. The two lovers sat, entangled together on the bed, as they ate breakfast and chatted lightly about everything and nothing.

Charlotte giggled happily when she looked up and saw that Becky had some sauce smeared near her lips. She gently lifted her hand to cup Becky’s cheek and used her thumb to wipe it off. Becky gazed at her with a goofy grin and leaned forward to kiss Charlotte. Their lips met in a soft kiss that broke when their smiles were too wide to continue. Charlotte leaned her forehead against her girlfriend’s and a happy sigh escaped her.

Charlotte smoothed her thumb lovingly across Becky’s cheek, softly whispering, “I love you, Becks.”

Becky’s eyes soften and shine, “I love ya too, Charlie.”

Charlotte’s grin widens at the nickname, and she places on a light kiss on Becky’s cheek before pulling back. They stare at each other for a few more seconds before Becky makes a goofy expression, and Charlotte falls into giggles. A proud grin emerges on Becky’s face at making her girlfriend laugh.

Charlotte’s giggles come to an end, and she directs a smile Becky’s way. Becky grins back happily before the two resume eating their breakfast. After finishing, Charlotte begins to get ready for an interview she has early that morning to promote their match at Summerslam tonight. As she lifts her shirt over her head to change, Becky’s body presses against Charlotte’s naked back and her arms come to rest on Charlotte’s hips. 

Charlotte’s eyes close, and she tilts her neck to the side as Becky begins planting soft kisses up the side of her throat. Becky’s tongue slips out lightly on the way up, and a shiver travels down Charlotte’s spine. Becky’s lips reach her ear, and Becky grips Charlotte’s hips a little tighter. A moan escapes her as Becky’s tongue grazes the sensitive skin behind Charlotte’s ear.

Becky’s husky voice whispers in her ear, “Ya don’t have to leave, baby girl. Got here so late last night we didn’t have time to get...proper use of the bed. Don’t ya want that, Charlie?”

A whimper leaves Charlotte’s mouth, “I-I do but…I have an interview...Can’t miss it.”

Becky’s right hand slips from Charlotte’s hip to slide smoothly under Charlotte’s sleeping shorts. Her hand comes to rest on the edge of Charlotte’s thong and tugs softly.

“Just one interview, darling,” Becky continues, “Can’t ya miss it for me?”

The tips of Becky’s fingers slip right under Charlotte’s thong but do not move any further. Charlotte sucks in a deep breath and can’t answer Becky’s question. Her head is too clouded from Becky’s touch.

Becky whispers sultrily, “What if I ordered ya, baby? Said you weren’t allowed to leave.”

Charlotte releases another whimper when Becky’s teeth graze her ear, “Becky...I-I’ve gotta go. Second biggest pay-per-view of the year…big interview...”

Charlotte can feel a grin against her ear. 

Becky mutters, “Alright, Charlie. Just want ya to remember that ‘m gonna be here...thinking about ya. Can you do that for me, baby?”

Charlotte swallows, “I can do that.”

Becky hums questioningly.

“I will do that,” Charlotte breathes out.

“Good girl,” Becky whispers.

Becky’s hand slips out of her shorts and rests against Charlotte’s stomach. Heavy breaths escape Charlotte as she attempts to calm herself down. Put herself back together before the interview. She’s going to need to change her thong.

Becky backs away and sits down on their bed. Charlotte bends over to pull her shorts down her legs and hears a deep noise from Becky behind her.

Becky says, “Got the fucking sexiest girl in the world.”

Charlotte closes her eyes tightly at the words before blinking to pull herself from the haze. She grabs her dress and tugs it on. After putting her makeup on in the vanity, she turns to see Becky sitting on the bed, playing on her phone. She has her tongue poked out, concentrating on whatever game she is playing. A smile crosses Charlotte’s face at the adorable sight.

She walks over to the bed and places a light kiss on Becky’s cheek, “I’m headed out, Becks. I’ll be back later so we can ride to the show together, alright?”

Becky hums in acknowledgment and sets her phone down. She looks up at Charlotte with a mischievous grin.

“Can I wear my new title when I fuck you tonight?” Becky asks, half-jokingly. 

Charlotte raises her eyebrow and teases, “Hm. Don’t know if I’d let you wear MY title after we get back from the show.”

Becky’s smile drops from her face at Charlotte’s words, and she pulls away from Charlotte’s touch. Charlotte’s eyebrows furrow in confusion at the response. A look flashes across Becky’s face for a few seconds. A look Charlotte has never seen before on her girlfriend. The look is dark and conflicted. There’s something else there for a moment but Charlotte can’t put a name to it. She can’t decipher it, and it confuses Charlotte more. She always understands Becky, but she doesn’t this time. 

As quickly as the look appeared though, it’s gone. 

Charlotte, concerned for her girlfriend, asks, “Is something wrong, Becks?”

Becky seems to shake herself loose from something, “No, everything’s alright.”

Charlotte studies her girlfriend for a moment before checking her phone. She’s going to be late for the interview if she doesn’t leave now. 

Charlotte leans down to peck Becky’s lips before whispering, “See you later. I love you, Becks.”

Becky stays silent for a moment before replying, “I love you too, Charlotte.”

Charlotte furrows her eyebrows. Becky never addresses Charlotte with her full name, even if they are fighting. She resolves herself to ask Becky about it when she gets back. Maybe she’ll talk about it when they have more time.

But Charlotte forgets to ask when she comes back to the room.

They leave their room together for Summerslam. They pack their ring gear together, grab their hotel keys together, and ride in their rental car to the stadium together.

They have their match together. Charlotte wins.

Charlotte comes back that night alone to an empty room. 

She walks into the room numb. She places her bags down and sits on the bed. She looks around the room. All of Becky’s things are gone. Her side of the bed is empty. Every last trace of Becky has been swept clean from the room. And Charlotte is alone.

The emptiness in the room drains everything left within Charlotte until she feels empty too. The silence in the room has Charlotte’s ears aching. 

She looks at the empty bed and wishes she had never gone to that interview. Wishes she had turned around and laid back in bed with Becky. Held her. Refused to let go. Even just an hour, a minute longer with Becky.

Something was wrong with Becky, and Charlotte didn’t ask. She forgot to ask. Maybe if she had just asked, then Becky would have told her. Told Charlotte what was wrong. Told her how to fix it. But Charlotte forgot. This is her fault. All her fault.

Charlotte grabs her phone from her bedside table and calls Becky. She has to apologize. She hits her speed dial and prays for Becky to pick up the phone. To talk to her. To come back. To forgive Charlotte for whatever she did. 

The phone goes to voicemail on the second ring. 

Charlotte cries.

She cries until she thinks she might drown in her own tears. 

Charlotte glances at the title on her nightstand.

Nothing is ever the same.

 

X

 

Charlotte steps out of the elevator and makes her way down the hall toward Bayley and Sasha’s room. As she smoothly strides down the hallway, Charlotte tries to shake loose from her thoughts about Becky. Between the words she overheard last night and their interaction this morning, Charlotte is exhausted with the woman. And she’s tired of spending so much of her time worrying about Becky. She vows to spend the car ride concentrating on making Sasha jealous and ignoring her ex-girlfriend.

Becky just wants a reaction. She just wants to torture and hurt Charlotte more. It seems to never be enough for her.

Finally reaching their room, Charlotte knocks on the door and waits outside patiently. Glancing at her phone, she sees that it’s 9:03 AM currently. Charlotte rolls her eyes preemptively, already knowing that she’s going to be dealing with a grumpy, hungover Sasha Banks. The woman does not like being woken before 11 AM after a night of drinking. Right on time, Charlotte can hear a muffled groan from within the room.

A few more seconds pass before Bayley opens the door. When she sees Charlotte, a tired, happy grin emerges on her face.

“Charlotte!” Bayley exclaims happily.

Another muffled, irritated groan echoes out of the room. Charlotte glances behind Bayley to see a body completely under the covers and hands holding a pillow over her head. Charlotte also notices that, although there are two beds in the room, only one seems to have been slept in.

Bayley chuckles lightly, whispering, “Sasha is a little grumpy. Not too happy from her night of drinking.”

A fond smile appears on Charlotte’s face, “Ahhh. I see.”

Raising her voice slightly, Charlotte says, “Wake up, Banks! It’s morning!”

An angry huff comes from the head under the pillow, “Shut up. Go away.”

A loud laugh escapes from Charlotte, always having a special glee in pissing Sasha off. Charlotte looks back to Bayley and sees her attempting to hold back a grin. Charlotte raises an eyebrow playfully at Bayley who finally lets a giggle escape. Bayley attempts to shush her but Charlotte waves her off, not done poking the bear.

Charlotte loudly teases, “Aw, you don’t wanna waste away this beautiful day. Do you?”

Still refusing to move from under the pillow, Sasha grumbled, “Ugh. Fuck off, Flair! Too early for your shit.”

Charlotte and Bayley look at each other and chuckle. Bayley opens the door a little more and moves to the side to let Charlotte enter. Charlotte sits in the desk chair in front of Sasha’s (and apparently Bayley’s) bed while Bayley closes the door and plops down on the end of the bed.

Bayley smiles, “Ignore her.”

Another muffled groan is heard from underneath the pillow. Bayley smiles and glances back at the body before facing Charlotte again.

“So,” Bayley begins, “Are you feeling alright after last night? I know we left early.”

Charlotte smiles kindly at Bayley’s genuine concern, “I was fine. I didn’t drink that much and left maybe an hour after you guys did. Some of the other girls were...less well off than I was.”

Bayley laughs, “I’m not surprised. So, what brings you up here, Char?”

Charlotte basks in the feeling of happiness washing over her at being around her friends again. The move to Smackdown made Charlotte so ecstatic at first because she would finally be reunited with Becky. But after everything that has happened since Summerslam, sometimes Charlotte wishes she could be moved back to Raw with Bayley and Sasha. She likes a lot of the other girls on Smackdown. But, right now? Even being here with Bayley and Sasha for a few minutes has made Charlotte more happy and relaxed than she has been in months.

Charlotte frowns slightly at Bayley’s question, “I was wondering if it would be alright if I maybe rode with you guys to the next city? Smackdown’s next stop is on the way to where Raw is going to be this week. And I’m just a little tired of riding alone.”

Immediately, a concerned expression emerges on Bayley’s face, “Of course you can ride with us. Are you alright? Is it Becky?”

Charlotte can’t stop herself from wincing at the name, but recovers, “No, everything with Becky is what it is now. I’ve gotten used to it. It would just be nice to have a little company on the road again.”

Bayley narrows her eyes, studying Charlotte, “Are you sure everything’s fine? If Becky did something, then I can go beat her up for you.”

Charlotte smiles affectionately at her friend, always the protector. Although Bayley may come off as a lovable goofball, she is extremely loyal and protective of her friends. And, even though Bayley is also friends with Becky, she would defend Charlotte from her too. Bayley is the very definition of a sweetheart. Sometimes, Charlotte wishes she had fallen in love with Bayley instead of Becky. Even if Bayley didn’t love her back, she would still treat her so much better than Becky does now.

Then, Charlotte remembers how it felt to be with Becky. And she can’t force herself to wish their relationship never happened. Even though she wishes she could.

Charlotte answers Bayley reassuringly, “I promise that Becky didn’t do anything. All I really want is some company.”

Bayley seems to accept the answer for now and grins, “Alright. We are going to have so much fun!”

The two girls hear another groan from underneath the pillow in response to Bayley’s loud declaration, and they laugh lightly again. Without looking, Bayley reaches back and smack Sasha’s leg playfully. Considering Sasha’s entire body is shielded by a comforter, the smack obviously had no impact. Despite this, Sasha still lets out an injured whine. 

“Bayley,” Sasha whines, “Stop. That hurt.”

Charlotte rolls her eyes at her dramatic friend, “That didn’t hurt. You’re under a comforter.”

Sasha’s head emerges from under the covers, and she shoots a glare at Charlotte. Charlotte laughs at the mess of Sasha’s bedhead and the ferocity in her eyes. Sasha shifts her gaze to Bayley, and it turns to a pout. 

“Bayley, make her go away and come back to bed,” Sasha frowns.

Charlotte glances at Bayley who is blushing heavily at the words. Bayley’s hand comes up to rub at the back of her neck anxiously, keeping her eyes on the floor. Charlotte looks back at Sasha and lifts a questioning eyebrow at the woman. Sasha’s eyes widen for a moment, and she shoots her eyes nervously to the second bed. 

Deciding to spare the women their embarrassment, Charlotte stands, “I should be going anyway. I just came to ask you about the ride, and that’s all I needed. When are you two leaving?”

Bayley lifts her gaze from the floor to answer Charlotte, “Umm..our next live event is Friday, so we should probably leave tomorrow morning. Get there a day early. Is that alright with you?”

Charlotte nods, “Of course. I don’t want to put you two out.”

Bayley looks at her seriously, “You’re our friend. You couldn’t put us out, Char.”

Sasha, who is now resting with her head, sleepily mutters with closed eyes, “Four horsewomen for life.”

Tears sting Charlotte’s eyes at both the kind words from her friends and the unintentional reference to their shared past with Becky. She clears her throat and blinks the tears out of her eyes. She looks down at Bayley to see concerned eyes staring back. Charlotte shakes her head slightly at her friend who eyes her questioningly. Sweet, kind Bayley. Always wants to help. Even those who might not deserve it. Charlotte thinks about how she treated Bayley and Sasha when she was on Raw. Maybe she doesn’t deserve Bayley’s concern either.

Bayley stands and walks to Charlotte, wrapping her in a tight hug, “Bye, Charlotte. If the girls decide to do anything later, text us. We’ll see if I can get Sasha out of bed.”

Sasha mutters a tired, “Nope. Not leaving.”

Bayley looks back at the girl. Charlotte watches an adoring smile appear on Bayley’s face. Her eyes seem to be glowing at Sasha, who still lays with her eyes closed. Charlotte lets a small smile grace her features, endeared by the obvious love Bayley has for Sasha. Sasha is so lucky to have someone love her like that, and she doesn’t even know it. Charlotte bids them both a soft goodbye and takes a step back to leave, but a hand on her wrist stops her. 

Bayley yanks her back into a tight hug and whispers, “We love you. You know that, right? Everything that happened on Raw? Forgiven.”

Tears sting Charlotte’s eyes again, “I never even said sorry.”

Bayley quietly replies, “It’s okay. I know you’re sorry.”

“I am. I’m so sorry,” Charlotte whispers, feeling a tightness inside her release at finally letting those words out.

Bayley rubs her back, “All good. Horsewomen once. Horsewomen always. I forgive you, Charlotte.”

Charlotte nods jerkily and pulls back from the hug. She shoots a teary smile at Bayley, and Bayley grins back softly. Charlotte glances at Sasha who has seemingly fallen asleep at this point. She smiles at Bayley once more and says, “Meet you tomorrow?”

Bayley nods, “Yeah. I’ll text you the time.”

Charlotte walks toward the door and as it swings close she hears Sasha softly whine, “Bayley.”

Charlotte hears a sigh from Bayley, “I’m coming.”

The door shuts.

 

X

 

That evening, Charlotte gets a text from Sasha, “Why did Becky just ask to ride with us too???”

Charlotte sighs and answers, “I’ve got no idea. What did you say?”

Charlotte waits a few moments before she gets a reply, “Told her you were riding with us. Said she didn’t care. I told her she couldn’t come with unless you were fine with it.”

Charlotte shuts her eyes tightly. She could say no right now and not have to deal with Becky for three hours. But the points Becky made were valid. Charlotte has no chance if a fourth person isn’t there, and none of the other girls volunteered. She texts back, “I don’t care. Fine with me.”

A second later, Sasha replies, “K. See you then.”

A few minutes later Charlotte gets a text from Bayley, “Are you sure?”

Charlotte answers, “Yeah. She’s your friend.”

Bayley immediately texts back, “You are our friend too.”

Charlotte smiles and types, “I know. Really, it’s fine.”

Bayley responds, “I don’t believe you, but it’s your decision. Becky is coming. Love you, Char.”

“Love you too, Bayls.”

Charlotte sets her phone down and collapses onto the bed. This is not going to be fun.

 

X

 

By Thursday morning, Charlotte has packed all her things together and is waiting in the lobby with the three girls for their rental car to arrive. Charlotte, Becky, and Bayley are loaded down with their travel bags, leaning against the wall for support. Sasha is standing in front of them gripping her one suitcase. Bayley had already taken her travel bag from her in their room and is still holding Sasha’s and her own in the lobby. Even though they are still inside, Becky has shades over her eyes and is staring off quietly, never having been a morning person.

Charlotte perks up at the ding from Sasha’s phone, assuming it is notifying them of the arrival. Sasha checks her phone and nods at the girls. The quartet gathers their things together and makes their way outside (Bayley struggling a little more than the others). When they get to the car, a man passes the girls the keys, and Bayley thanks him. The girls load all of their stuff into the back and make their way into the car. Before Bayley and Sasha even realize, Becky has already slid into the passenger seat and rested her head against the window, attempting to fall back asleep.

Bayley makes her way toward the passenger side and sees Becky, frowning slightly at the woman. Ultimately though, the kindhearted Bayley quietly gets into the backseat instead, sitting beside Charlotte with a smile. The last person into the car is Sasha who immediately notices the lack of Bayley in the passenger seat. 

She scowls at Becky and hits her arm, “Dude. Move. That’s Bayley’s spot.”

Becky huffs indignantly, “I’m not moving. I got here first.”

Sasha’s eyes narrow into a glare. 

But, before an argument can break out, Bayley interferes, “It’s fine, Sash. It’s only a few hours and then I can move up to the front when we drop Becky and Charlotte off.”

Sasha mumbles to herself grumpily and shoots a final glare in a smirking Becky’s direction before starting the car. She pulls slowly out of the hotel parking lot and merges onto the road. Beside her, Becky sets up the car’s installed GPS system for Sasha while Charlotte and Bayley quietly settle into their seats. Charlotte sees Bayley put in earphones out of the corner of her eye. A few minutes pass before they merge onto the interstate. Charlotte lets out a sigh. 

It’s time for the games to begin. 

Charlotte leans over toward Bayley sitting on the other side of the backseat and places a gentle hand on her arm to get her attention. Bayley removes her earbuds from her ears and turns to smile brightly at Charlotte. Of the four women, Bayley and Charlotte were the only morning people. 

Charlotte returns the smile, keeping her hand on Bayley’s arm, “You know, Bayley? I’ve missed you so much recently.”

Bayley’s smile grows more excited at Charlotte’s words, “I’ve missed you too! Pay-per-views are so much fun because I get to see everyone I miss from Smackdown again!”

Charlotte pouts slightly, “But…you miss me the most, right?”

Charlotte’s glances to the front of the car, noticing she’s seemed to already garner Sasha’s attention. Becky has raised her head from the window of the car but her glasses are still covering her face. Charlotte turns her attention back to Bayley whose smile is still broad.

She innocently says, “Well, I miss you a whole lot. We’ve been friends for so long. We were together all of the time in NXT but now we barely see each other.”

Charlotte moves her hand from Bayley’s arm to grab her hand. Bayley accepts the gesture, which she happily interprets as friendly, with a smile. Bayley seems giddy at the conversation with Charlotte, like a happy puppy receiving affection.

“You know,” Charlotte begins, “I miss those days in NXT sometimes. You remember when it was just the two of us against the world?”

Bayley excitedly nods, “Yeah, those were really great days! I thought you were, like, the coolest person alive.”

Charlotte moves their interlocked hands to rest on her own lap. She glances up to the front again and notices Sasha’s tense body language. Charlotte knows she’s paying complete attention to the conversation at this point and is probably glancing at them through the rearview mirror intermittently. Not wanting to get caught looking, Charlotte quickly reverts her attention to Bayley.

“Oh,” Charlotte hums playfully, “So, I’m not the coolest person anymore?”

Bayley’s eyes widen, afraid she has hurt Charlotte’s feelings, “No, no, no! I didn’t mean that. You’re still so cool. I just meant back then, I was kind of in awe of the whole Flair thing. But now, I know you so much better, and I like you for who you are.”

A genuine smile crosses Charlotte’s face at the sweet words, and she feels bad for a moment for kind of manipulating her friend. But, it’s for the best. She’s doing it for Bayley’s benefit.

Charlotte lets out an intentional, girly giggle, “Oh, like me? Didn’t you say you loved me yesterday?”

Bayley quickly reassures, “Yeah, I did! Of course, I love you, Char.”

Charlotte is preparing a response when an outburst in the front seat occurs.

Sasha spits out roughly, “Becky, get your damn feet off my dash.”

Becky scoffs and ignores her. This seems to only piss Sasha off further.

“I said move your feet,” Sasha hisses.

Becky snaps back, “This isn’t even your car. You aren’t the boss here!”

“I’m driving, so I AM the boss. If you don’t wanna be out on your ass, then put your damn feet down,” Sasha threatens.

Becky sneers, “I don’t have to do anything. I’m The Man. The Champ does what she wants.”

Sasha’s eyes roll, “You ain’t shit. Put your feet down. Now.”

Becky directs a fierce glare at Sasha. Charlotte rolls her eyes at the two women. Sasha was clearly looking for a fight, and Becky is too stubborn to back down when she’s attacked. Charlotte inwardly congratulates herself for being off to such a great start, already having Sasha pissed off in just a few minutes. They have hours left to go in this car.

Bayley interrupts the argument between the two, “Guys, don’t fight. Sash, you never care if I put my feet on the dash. It’s not good for you to get yourself worked up like this when driving. Becky is our friend.”

Sasha takes a deep breath and mutters an insincere “sorry” through gritted teeth. Becky huffs in response and moves her feet off the dash.

Bayley smiles, “See, there we go! This is going to be such a fun car trip with all four of us! Just like the old days!”

Sasha and Becky seem to soften slightly at Bayley’s words. None of them have ever liked bringing Bayley down when she’s in such a great mood. It’s hard to know Bayley for long and not have a soft spot for the kind, enthusiastic woman. And, adding in the intense horsewomen bond, they all treat Bayley a little more lightly than anyone else. Calm seems to settle over the car again. 

For now. Charlotte smirks.

 

X

 

Charlotte lets about 30 minutes pass to not seem suspicious and begins part two. 

She turns to Bayley with a hum, “Bayley.”

Again, Bayley turns to her with a friendly smile, “What’s up?”

Charlotte sends an adoring smile her way, “I just wanted to say that you look beautiful with your hair down.”

Charlotte hears quiet irritated grumbling from the front seat. She glances forward and notices Sasha has a tight grip with both hands on the steering wheel. Suddenly, Becky shuffles angrily in her seat. Charlotte wonders what has put her in such a pissy mood today. No matter. Charlotte has a job to do.

A light blush graces Bayley’s face and she glances down, “Thank you, Char. That’s really sweet of you.”

Charlotte moves to run her fingers through her own hair and grins at Bayley, “What about me? Which way do you like my hair, Bayls?”

Bayley’s eyebrows furrow in concentration, “I don’t know. I think you look pretty all the time.”

Charlotte shakes her head slightly with a fond smile at Bayley’s overwhelming kindness but gets back in character quickly.

She flutters her eyelashes at Bayley, “You remember when I wore pigtails that one time?”

Bayley thinks for a moment and nods, “Yeah, I saw those pictures you posted!”

“Well,” Charlotte says, making her voice intentionally a little huskier, “Some people think pigtails are kind of hot.”

Bayley hums, “I guess some people do.”

Charlotte smirks, knowing she’s set the trap perfectly. She purrs, “What about you? Do you think pigtails are hot? Did you like my pigtails?”

Charlotte is scanning through where she wants to guide this conversation next while Bayley pauses in thought. She seems ready to reply again when another interruption from the front seat occurs. 

Becky turns around to look at them and rudely snaps, “I’m trying to sleep here.”

Charlotte’s eyes narrow into a glare at the disruption. Whether Becky gets to sleep on this car ride or not is irrelevant. They are here on a mission that Charlotte intents to complete. Whatever has put Becky into this grumpy mood is not going to mess up Charlotte’s plan. She shouldn’t even be interrupting anyway. Charlotte is trying to rile Sasha up, and it was clearly working. Becky is just trying to sabotage Charlotte out of spite. 

Charlotte glances at Bayley who resembles a wounded puppy. She has a hurt expression on her face and is looking at Becky apologetically. Charlotte decides to ignore Becky and continue her advances on Bayley.

Charlotte turns to Bayley with an exaggerated pout, “You know what? I’m feeling kind of tired too.”

Bayley looks at her, concerned, “You should rest. Both of you have a show tomorrow.”

Charlotte pretends to look around for something, “Oh, no. I forgot my pillow. I can’t ever sleep against the window.”

Bayley frowns, “Are you sure you didn’t bring it? Maybe it’s in the back.”

“No, I left it” Charlotte purses her lips, feigning upset, “I really do need the rest. Bayley, do you think I could take a short nap on you? It won’t be too long. I promise.”

Bayley smiles kindly at her friend, “Of course! You know I love cuddling, Char!”

Charlotte smiles back and pulls Bayley’s arm around her. Then, she moves so her head is resting on Bayley’s chest. She wraps an arm around Bayley’s waist and sighs happily. Charlotte hears a muffled growl from Sasha in the front seat and grins. Charlotte opens her eyes and glances at the rearview mirror, making brief eye contact with Sasha. She grins at her friend but Sasha simply scowls back.

Charlotte sighs happily and cuddles further into Bayley. Charlotte waits about a minute before she lets out a quiet, disgruntled sound.

Bayley, ever the gentlewoman, concernedly asks, “Is something wrong?”

Charlotte meekly responds, “I can’t really fall asleep. Could you run your fingers through my hair? That always helps me sleep.”

Bayley hums, “Sure, Char.”

Bayley’s hand come up to run her fingers through Charlotte’s hair softly. She stops every once in a while to gently scratch random spots. Charlotte purposefully lets out a quiet moan at the feeling. She sees Sasha jerk her head to the side to glare at them. She opens her mouth to say something but is startled by Becky jerking the wheel.

Becky growls, “Watch the fucking road. You were swerving into the other lane!”

Sasha rolls her eyes, “I wasn’t swerving anywhere, Lynch. I was holding the wheel the entire time. I glanced away for two seconds!”

Becky crosses her arms, huffing out, “You were clearly about to hit the car in the other lane. Lucky I saved you, Banks.”

Sasha scoffs, “You didn’t save me from anything.”

“Clearly I did,” Becky shoots back, “You wouldn’t even know anyway because you weren’t looking.”

Sasha, visibly tensed and annoyed, asks, “Why didn’t that car blow their horn at me if I was sooo close to hitting them?”

Becky glowered, “Because I stopped you before they could!”

Sasha scowls, “Whatever.”

Sasha glances back at Charlotte and Bayley still cuddling through the rearview mirror with a glare and snaps, “Are you two just going to sit there and cuddle the entire drive?”

Charlotte, refusing to open her eyes, hums, “Yep. Bayley is really comfortable.”

Sasha lets out an angry huff and puts her eyes back on the road. The car lapses into an awkward, tense silence at the response. The tension radiating from the front seat is palpable. Charlotte looks up at Bayley to see her making a confused expression.

Charlotte smirks, satisfied as Sasha continues to become increasingly jealous. She’s going to crack by the end of this car ride. Charlotte knows it. 

 

X

 

After another fifteen minutes, the four women still sit in a tense silence. Bayley has continued to play with her hair, and Charlotte lets out exaggerated hums and light moans. The two women in the front seat have grown steadily more irate, taking swipes at each other every few minutes. 

“Why are you driving so slow?” Becky demands.

Sasha growls, “I’m driving this car while you sit on your ass, so stop complaining.”

Becky rolls her eyes and leans her head against the window again. When they go quiet, Charlotte decides to instigate a little more at this point.

Without detaching from Bayley, Charlotte asks, “Bayls, what are you doing for Christmas?”

Bayley answers, “Oh, I haven’t decided yet. Don’t know if I’m going home the entire time.”

Charlotte snuggles further into Bayley, “You know? I’m not going home either. We could always...spend Christmas together. I can make hot chocolate. We can get presents. It’d be like a big, long sleepover. And we could cuddle even more. This is really nice.”

Bayley stays silent a moment before responding, “Hmmm. That doesn’t sound like a bad idea. Hey, Becky? Sasha? Are you guys going home? You could join, and it would be SO much fun.”

Before either can reply, Charlotte asserts, “Oh, I know they’re both going back home. I thought it’d be fun for just the two of us. Alone.”

A sharp growl comes from Sasha.

She responds through gritted teeth, “If Bayley wants me to come, then I’m coming. We can share the guest room.”

Charlotte coyly replies, “Oh, there’s no need for that. I have the biggest bed. Bayley can share with me, and you can have the guest bed all to yourself.”

A sharp, irritated huff escapes from Sasha, “Bayley and I share all of the time. We are used to it. We’ll share the guest bed. Right, Bayley?”

Confused, Bayley responds, “Um, I guess it doesn’t really matter to me?...I—”

Charlotte interrupts, “See, it doesn’t matter to her. So we can do the easiest thing. Bayley and I can share my bed all Christmas.”

Sasha glowers at Charlotte through the rearview mirror, “Bayley just doesn’t want to hurt your feelings. We always stay together.”

Charlotte suggests, “Well, maybe Bayley is looking for a change. Just because you’ve always done something doesn’t mean it’s the best thing for you. Sometimes you can find something you like…better.”

Sasha hisses, “We’re perfectly fine together. Neither of us want to stay with another person. Right, Bayley?”

Before Bayley can respond, Charlotte looks up at her with a pout “Do you not want to stay with me, Bayley?”

Bayley stutters, afraid to hurt someone’s feeling, “I-um. Well, I guess- I don’t, um—”

Abruptly, Becky barks, “Stop trying to control everything, Charlotte. Not everything’s about you. Bayley and Sasha are always together.”

Sasha nods affirmatively, maintaining her harsh glare at Charlotte through the rearview mirror.

Charlotte’s eyes narrow, knowing Bayley is going to agree with the larger party.

Right on time, Bayley speaks up gently, “Sasha and I do usually stay together. We can hang out the rest of the day though, Charlotte. It will still be fun!”

Charlotte stiffens, pulling away from Bayley, “Yes. That’s fine.”

Charlotte glances to the front to see Sasha with a satisfied, arrogant smirk on her face. Becky has slouched down in her seat and put her earbuds in, ignoring the group. Charlotte is furious. She almost had Sasha, and Becky just ruined it again. Whatever put Becky in this pissy mood needs to end before she ruins this entire thing.

 

X

 

Charlotte allows around an hour to pass, quietly fuming at Becky’s second interruption. Slowly, light conversation ensues between the four women. The environment is still tense between three of the four occupants within the car. However, Bayley’s upbeat attitude is preventing any explosions from going off between her friends. For the moment. 

After Charlotte thinks enough time has passed, she lets out a (fake) pained groan. She brings her hand up to her neck, massaging the area. Then, she moves her neck back and forth, feigning as if she’s attempting to work some stiffness out.

Bayley, ever the sweetheart, looks over concerned, “Are you alright, Charlotte?”

Charlotte shakes her head with a pout, “My neck just feels really stiff. I think I might have tweaked it after my match on Smackdown last Tuesday. It’s been bothering me a little since.”

Bayley’s eyebrows furrow, “Do you need to go see a trainer?”

Charlotte waves her off, “No, no. It’s not too bad. I just wish I could work this stiffness out. But I can’t reach the spots.”

Bayley frowns. Charlotte hears a distinct scoff coming from Sasha in the front seat. Charlotte tries to stifle a smirk, guessing that Sasha already knows what game Charlotte is playing. This is going to make her snap. Charlotte is laying all her cards on the table. Sasha will break.

Charlotte bats her eyes at Bayley, “Do you think you could help me? I don’t know if I can sit in this car for another hour feeling this bad.”

Bayley’s eyes soften, and she nods eagerly, “Sure. What do you need?”

Charlotte answers, “I think it would help to have a few of these kinks in my neck worked out, but I can’t reach them. Do you think you could? Just for a few minutes. Not too long.”

Suddenly, Sasha slams on the horn in the front seat, bellowing out, “Fucking idiot!”

Becky lifts her head from the window, “Are you blind? No one did anything.”

Sasha huffs, “He moved into my lane without even using a turn signal. That’s illegal, Lynch. I have a right to be mad when someone breaks the law.”

Becky rolls her eyes, “Pretty sure we’ve all changed lanes without signals before. Take a chill pill. You on your period or something?”

Sasha snaps, “Shut up.”

“Maybe if you stopped driving like a crazy person, then I would,” Becky snaps roughly.

Sasha quickly retorts, “If you hate my driving so much, then walk. You’re the one who asked for the ride. Not me.”

Becky huffs and crosses her arms, “Whatever.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Sasha taunts mockingly. 

Sensing a lull in the argument, Charlotte quickly continues her conversation with Bayley, “So, do you think you could get the kinks out of my neck?”

Bayley shrugs, “Sure, Charlotte. I can help!”

Charlotte glances into the rearview mirror again and sees Sasha watching them carefully. Charlotte smirks at the woman, and Sasha glares back furiously. ‘If looks could kill,’ Charlotte thinks. Charlotte turns around so her back is facing Bayley, sweeping her hair off her shoulder and to the side.

She leans back until she is almost pressed again Bayley, and the woman giggles nervously. Charlotte smiles. There’s no way Sasha lasts more than a few minutes with this. Charlotte feels Bayley’s hands come up to massage her neck. At the contact, Charlotte closes her eyes and hums. 

Bayley asks, “Does that feel alright? Am I helping?”

Charlotte lets out a small moan, “Mmmm, so good, Bayley. Keep going.”

Bayley continues the massage while Charlotte tries to stifle an amused grin, knowing Sasha is going to snap any minute now. As Bayley continues, Charlotte lets light moans and groans escape her mouth. Bayley seems to tense at every one but ultimately continues.

Charlotte opens her eyes slightly and says, “Harder, Bayls.”

With her eyes open, she notices Sasha’s hands going white from her tight grip on the steering wheel. Sasha’s jaw is locked tightly, and Charlotte forces a laugh back when she sees her jaw twitch. Sasha is biting her tongue. Her eyebrows are narrowed, and Charlotte can feel the car speed up a little.

Charlotte has known Sasha for years. And if there is one thing she knows best it’s when Sasha is about to snap. And there is no way Sasha can hold back for more than a few seconds. Charlotte just has to nudge a little farther and all this can finally end.

Charlotte lets out a louder moan, “God, that feels so good. You’re so good at that, Bay.”

Charlotte was watching the Sasha the entire time and saw her eyes flare the second Charlotte used Sasha’s nickname for Bayley. This is it. She’s snapping

“That’s it!” 

‘Yes, it’s finally happening,’ Charlotte thinks. Becky just— wait Becky? What?

Becky grumbles, “Pull the car over. I need to use the bathroom!”

“Whatever,” Sasha grumbles angrily.

The sudden yell from Becky startles Bayley who pulls her hands away from Charlotte. Charlotte sees red at Becky continuing to disrupt the plan. Charlotte knows she was seconds away from having Sasha snap. The car lapses into silence as three of the four women in the car are steaming in their seats.

Sasha finally pulls into a gas station and Becky furiously unbuckles her seatbelt and yanks it off.

Becky opens the door and says, “Charlotte come with me. I need to talk to you.”

Charlotte glares defiantly at her ex-girlfriend, “I’m not moving. I’ve got nothing to talk to you about.”

Becky glares back, breathing heavily, “I need to speak to you now. Get out of the car.”

Bayley interrupts them, voice gentle but firm, “Becky, don’t talk to Charlotte that way. She can stay if she wants.”

Becky’s glare turns on Bayley and she snaps, “Don’t tell me what to do, Bayley.”

Bayley flinches backward at Becky’s harsh tone.

At the words, Sasha grabs Becky’s arm tightly, “Don’t you dare yell at her!”

Becky yanks her arm away and growls, “Shut the fuck up, Banks. Stay out of this!”

Charlotte firmly orders, “Becky, calm the hell down.”

“Get. Out. Of. The. Car,” Becky growls.

Sasha seethes, “Or what? What are you gonna do, Champ? You gonna drag her out of this car by her hair.”

Becky’s eyes flash and she turns on Sasha, “I would never fucking lay hands on her outside our job.”

Sasha scoffs, “Oh, really? Well, you haven’t acted like it lately. Done plenty of attacking her in the ring.”

Becky growls, “That’s different and you fucking know it. We’ve all hurt each other.”

Charlotte breaks in again, “Yeah, some of us in more ways than one.”

Becky yells, “You betrayed us too! You’ve stabbed us all in the back, and you didn’t give a shit! About me. About Sasha or Bayley. About anyone other than your fucking self! And you never said you were sorry!”

Sasha mutters angrily, “I didn’t get an apology either and you don’t see me being a bitch about it.”

Charlotte turns hurt eyes on Sasha and lashes out, “Yeah and where’s your apology, Boss? What happened to you wanting to beat Bayley again and again and again? What happened to her being a worthless loser?”

Sasha’s hands ball up into fists, “Leave Bayley the fuck out of this, Flair.”

“Guys,” Bayley timidly pipes up, trying to put an end to this. She’s getting upset at watching her friends like this but she goes ignored.

Charlotte growls, “She didn’t do anything to deserve your shit and you manipulated me into turning on her too. The only thing you ever did to her in NXT was step on her like she was a piece of trash.”

Through gritted teeth, Sasha hisses, “Watch your mouth. You’re on thin ice, Flair!”

Again, Bayley attempts to deescalate the situation, “Guys, it’s not good for us to—“

Charlotte and Becky interrupt simultaneously, “Stay out of this, Bayley!”

Sasha threatens, “If either of you yells at her again, I’m leaving both of you at this fucking gas station and driving off!”

Becky rounds on Sasha again, “You act like you’re so much better than us. You treated Bayley like shit for YEARS. You treated ME like shit for years. Fuck you, Sasha!”

“Fuck you!” Sasha yells louder.

Charlotte lets out a frustrated groan, “Fuck BOTH of you! Neither of you has a right to say a fucking word to me about betrayal. Especially you Becky. You tried to have sex with me the morning of Summerslam and then you stabbed me in the back that night!”

Becky growls, “You don’t know anything.”

Charlotte yells heatedly, “You’re right! Apparently, I never knew anything! About you! About our relationship! Did you already know you were going to betray me in that ring when you tried to fuck me the same morning?”

Becky slams her hand on the dashboard and points her finger at Charlotte, “Don’t you dare fucking accuse me of using you!” 

Charlotte seethes, “Don’t tell me what I can and can’t accuse you of. You’re the one who tossed the woman you said you loved to the side for a BELT!”

Becky shoots back, “You know that’s more than a belt to ALL of us! To YOU!”

Charlotte glares, “Yeah, well you made that clear when you stabbed me in the back for it. Who ARE you, Becky? Who the fuck are you? Because I don’t know this person!”

Becky spitefully replies, “I’m what you made me! I’m treated wrong on Smackdown for years, and you told me, ‘You just wait. Your turn is coming. They’ll see. You’ll get an opportunity, and you’ll take it.’ Well, I got my fucking opportunity, but YOU took it! YOU stole it from me! You came to Smackdown, and we fell in love but you ALWAYS put that belt above me! Once you got that belt it was no more, ‘Becky you’ll have your opportunity.’ It was about YOU. And I got TIRED of WAITING. I got tired of you TAKING. YOU did this to me, Charlotte!”

Charlotte angrily demands, “Why didn’t you tell me any of this? You should have fucking told me about all of this a long time ago!”

Becky shouts, “How could I talk to you about it? I couldn’t complain about anything or I woulda fucking lost you. Ya woulda stabbed me in the back like ya did before. So I shut my mouth to stay with you! But not anymore.”

“God!” Charlotte groans, “Does it all fucking come back to what I did YEARS ago?”

Becky hisses out, “You never even had the gall to apologize to me. Just acted like everything was fine. And I loved you so damn much I just let it slide. But you NEVER apologized for breaking my heart. You never even tried.”

Tears spring into Charlotte’s eyes, “You never asked me to! Everything went back to normal and we were together! We fell in love! I was too ashamed to bring up what I did to you. I thought you knew I was sorry! I thought it was unspoken!”

Becky scoffs, “Maybe if ya would have fucking spoken instead of taking every opportunity away from me that you could, then we wouldn’t be here. If you would have let me have my turn in the spotlight for ONE TIME! But no! It’s always about Charlotte fucking Flair. Who gives a shit about Becky Lynch when you have a Flair in the room!”

Tears start falling from Charlotte’s face and she screams, “I give a shit, okay? I DO! I wouldn’t have fucking won if I would have known! If you had just told me what would happen. What it would do to you! To us! I love you so goddamn much that I would have laid down and let you win if it meant that I still had you, Becky! I still would!”

Instantly, the car goes dead silent. Becky and Charlotte are breathing heavily. Sasha seems to have realized that this fight wasn’t really about her and has backed away. Bayley is watching from her side of the car with tears in her eyes. Charlotte wipes her own tears off her face. In disbelief at what she just said. What she just admitted.

Becky hoarsely ask, “You love me? Still? After everything?”

Charlotte yanks her car door open, “I’m not fucking do this.”

She ignores the yells of protest from all three girls and slams the car door behind her. She quickly starts walking away from the car when she hears another car door slam closed. She quickens her pace but a hand grabs her wrist and yanks her around. Charlotte tries to jerk away but Becky’s hand remains clamped around her wrist, refusing to let Charlotte walk away from her. The two stare at each other with tears in both of their eyes for a long moment. The air heavy around them.

“You still love me?” Becky whispers desperately. 

Charlotte stiffens, “I was just angry. I didn’t know what I was saying.”

Becky doesn’t relent, “I don’t believe ya. I don’t believe ya, Charlie.”

Charlotte flinches, “Don’t call me that. You don’t get to call me that!”

“You said you’d have let me win. Is that true?” Becky breathes.

Charlotte takes a deep breath. She doesn’t want this conversation. She doesn’t want to be anywhere near Becky after what she said in that car. Charlotte is supposed to be past this. She’s supposed to be over Becky. Done with her. After everything Becky has done. After everything Becky has said, how could Charlotte still love her? She’d have to be insane.

Charlotte looks at Becky who is staring back at her with wild, pleading eyes. For the first time today, Becky has finally taken those dumb sunglasses off. Charlotte stares into Becky’s eyes. They’re mesmerizing. 

Maybe Charlotte has always been a little crazy.

Charlotte sighs, “Yes, it’s true.”

A blinding smile comes across Becky’s face before it drops into a remorseful frown, “Ya mean...we coulda avoided all this if I had just talked to you?”

Charlotte moves to wipes her own tears away but Becky beats her to it. Becky’s hand cups Charlotte’s cheek, and Charlotte can’t fight her instinct to close her eyes and lean into it. God, it’s been so long. 

“Charlie,” Becky mutters.

A shiver goes down Charlotte’s spine at the nickname, spoken so softly. Almost reverently. Charlotte’s eyes open, and she sees her Becky looking back. The tough, uncaring mask worn by The Man is gone. It’s Becky. Her soft eyes looking at Charlotte with wonder like she always did before this. Charlotte feels weak.

Charlotte whispers, “Becks.”

Becky moves forward until their foreheads are pressed together, “I missed you, Charlie…”

Charlotte chokes out, “I missed you too, Becks.”

“I’m sorry,” Becky whispers desperately, “Everything I did. Everything I said. Didn’t mean any of it. Wouldn’t have said it if I had known.”

Charlotte nods shakily, “I’m sorry too. I should have never turned my back on you. I should have never hurt you and made you feel like you couldn’t be honest with me. I should have apologized so much earlier. I’m so sorry.”

Becky nods and pulls back, a wide grin on her face. She cups Charlotte’s cheeks in her hands, and Charlotte feels hope flutter in her chest for the first time since their hug after the Raw invasion. But this is even more than that. After all this time. Becky is here, and Becky is smiling at her adoringly. Becky said sorry. 

Becky’s thumb strokes gently across Charlotte’s cheek, “Charlie, we can fix all of this. We can.”

Charlotte’s breath catches in her throat. She’s been alone for so long. Without her best friend. Without her soulmate. Without her home. But Becky is standing here. She’s unlocking the door. Charlotte...can come home. 

Charlotte grabs Becky’s hand against her cheek, “How? How do we fix it, Becks?”

Becky’s smile widens, “We can be together again. Come back, Charlie. Then, we can fix everything at TLC.”

A confused frown appears on Charlotte’s face, “At- at TLC?”

Becky nods excitedly, “Yes. At TLC, you can help me keep my belt. Can’t you see? You said you’d let me win at Summerslam. We can do it all over again. We can take Asuka out, and you could help me climb the ladder to grab my belt down. It’s not exactly like Summerslam, but it can work, Charlie.”

Charlotte feels her heart collapse inside her chest. 

“After- after all this,” Charlotte asks despairingly, “You still want me to lose?”

Becky’s grin falls a little, “I- yeah. You’ve had seven reigns, and this is my second. I should win. I deserve to win.”

Charlotte pulls her face away slightly. Becky’s hands fall from her cheeks, but Charlotte doesn’t step back from her.

Charlotte questions forlornly, “And I don’t deserve to win? I deserve to give up?” 

Becky frowns, “No, but- but you said you would. You said I mattered more.”

“Becky,” Charlotte swallows tightly, “You do matter more. But we’re partners. I never wanted you to give up anything. Even if it meant you took it from me. But...you’re...would you give the title up for me?”

Becky steps back from Charlotte, “I deserve the title. I earned this. This is my chance, Charlie.”

Charlotte looks at her with despairing eyes, “Please, just say we can be together, even if I beat you at TLC. Please, Becks. Don’t do this again.”

Becky's eyes fill with conflict, “I’m gonna win at TLC. I have to. You can help, Charlie. We can-I can—”

Charlotte feels a tear make its way down her face, “I’m going to do everything I can to win at TLC. We are always going to be competing, Becky. I need you to accept that.”

Becky moves back a step, looking down at her feet, “What if I can’t?”

Charlotte breathes shakily, “Then...we can’t be together.”

Tears sting Becky’s eyes, “I want you back, Charlie.”

Charlotte nods and chokes back a sob, “I want you too, Becks. I think I’ll always want you.”

The girls descend into silence. The few steps between them feel like miles. Neither girl is sure how much time has passed since this conversation began, but Sasha and Bayley have yet to chase after them.

Charlotte swallows, “Becky?”

Becky looks up into Charlotte’s eyes again. The two stare at each other for a moment. Somehow they feel both closer together and farther apart than they have in months. 

Charlotte breaks the silence, “Can you accept that?”

Charlotte’s eyes are pleading with Becky desperately. Becky sniffles and wipes tears away from her own eyes.

“I don’t know,” Becky quietly admits.

Charlotte sucks in a breath. She nods stiffly and bites her lip. Immediately, her eyes shift away from Becky. She can’t look at Becky again or she’s going to break down. Charlotte spots their car on the other side of the lot. She moves past Becky to walk back but Becky grabs her wrist again.

“Charlotte,” Becky whispers.

Charlotte’s eyes close tightly, “If you ever find out...let me know.”

Becky’s grip on her wrist loosens, and Charlotte walks away. 

Becky watches her go, hand still in the air. As if she was holding on to a ghost. 

 

X

 

Charlotte opens the door of the car and quietly gets back inside. The car is quiet, but she seems to have caught Bayley and Sasha at the end of a conversation. When she settles into her seat, out of the corner of her eye she sees Bayley looking at Sasha sternly. Charlotte hears a resigned sigh from Sasha.

“Charlotte,” Sasha starts, “Look…I’m sorry. For everything I said earlier. I didn’t mean it.”

Charlotte nods, at this point too exhausted to even remember exactly what Sasha said to her, “It’s alright. I’m sorry too. For everything. All of it.”

Sasha hums in thought, “I think maybe we should have said all of these things a long time ago.”

“Yeah,” Charlotte agrees, “I think we should have too.”

A moment of silence passes in the car.

Sasha timidly asks, “Are...are we okay?”

“Yeah,” Charlotte answers solidly.

The two women look at each other with a smile.

“We’re okay.”

Charlotte catches Sasha’s glance toward Bayley, and she sees a relieved grin spread across her face in response to whatever she saw. 

The moment is disrupted when the passenger door opens and Becky climbs in. After a few moments, Sasha again breaks the silence to apologize.

Becky hums in acknowledgment, “I’m sorry too. You’re my best friend. Shouldn’t be yelling at ya like that. We all got our reasons, and we all got our regrets. We’re the same.”

Sasha nods with a smile, “Team BAE reunited?”

Becky rolls her eyes and groans, “We still gotta keep that old name?”

Sasha shrugs, “Eh. Think it’s been around too long to go back now.”

Becky smiles, “Guess I can’t disagree. Team BAE.”

Bayley pipes up happily, “Four horsewomen forever?”

Sasha and Bayley raise up their signature four fingers and look enthusiastically at Charlotte and Becky. The two ex-lovers make eye contact. 

Becky lifts her hand up slowly, “Forever.”

After a moment, Charlotte lifts her hand too, “And always.”

 

X

 

The rest of the drive passes with light conversation and music playing. After the events of the day, Charlotte has no energy to keep with the plan. And she doesn’t even want the possibility of another fight breaking out. The rest of their ride is light and upbeat. For a moment, it seems like everything has slipped into place. And they are all just best friends on a car ride.

Charlotte imagines for a moment that is all they are. They aren’t wrestlers. Or superstars. Or champions. They are just four women. Who love each other. Who are bonded together. Who are sisters.

Maybe they are going on a girls’ vacation somewhere. They are ready for a week of sipping margaritas by the pool. Charlotte imagines tanning on the beach with Sasha. And how Becky and Bayley would break their amicable silence to drag them away from their warm towels and throw them both into the freezing ocean. Charlotte and Sasha would pretend to be mad, but they would all laugh. They would spend hours in the water together.

And they wouldn’t have to fight each other. That thought would never even cross their minds.

They would be free.

And happy.

But then, Sasha drops them off at the hotel. Bayley and Sasha bid their goodbyes before departing to join the Raw crew.

Some dreams are too sweet to ever come true.

 

X

 

Charlotte walks into her hotel room alone that night. Like so many other nights since Summerslam. She haphazardly drops all her bags in the first empty space she spots. Mechanically, she gets ready for bed. Wipes her makeup off. Brushes her teeth. Changes her clothes.

Before she can get in bed, her phone buzzes. She wants to ignore it and just sleep, but it could be work. It could be something important. She grabs her phone. It’s Natalya.

“Becky told us what happened. We know you did your best. Sleep well. Carmella is going next.”

Charlotte locks her phone. She rolls around in bed for hours before finally succumbing to another night of fitful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes! Charlynch still did not get their happy ending...I guess we'll see if they can ever fix things.
> 
> AND Carmella will finally get her turn next. We'll see how she feels about that next time...
> 
> How do you think Sasha is going to react to Carmella coming after her girl? Especially when Sasha has already shown she's insecure about their friendship.
> 
> Thank you guys so much for reading!


	5. Plan E: Carmella

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasha's worst nightmare finally steps up to take her turn flirting with Bayley, and we flashback to the beginnings of Sasha and Bayley's friendship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, sorry for the hiatus, guys! Got some writer's block for this chapter. And, also, it was 20K, so that's going to take a hot minute to write. This one...kind of got out of control...Anyways
> 
> Shameless plug: My Tumblr is bisexualshrug.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy!

Carmella is not scared of Sasha Banks, okay?

She’s not.

Carmella is the first-ever women’s Money in the Bank briefcase winner. She cashed that briefcase in successfully to win the Smackdown Women’s Championship. She retained the belt in a match against Charlotte Flair and went on to hold the title for 131 days. She has beaten Asuka, the once undefeatable 510-day NXT Women’s Champion, TWICE.

So, it’s not like she’s scared of Sasha Banks at all.

Because she’s not.

But Carmella has been around enough jealous girlfriends to learn real quick that she needs to tread lightly. And, Sasha may not be Bayley’s girlfriend, but she definitely is jealous. Carmella could sense it from the very beginning. She never knew Sasha very well while they were in NXT, but she didn’t like what she did see.

This was mostly because Carmella always had a soft spot for Bayley. Bayley is every good thing Carmella could think of wrapped into one person. She’s kind and selfless and good and loyal and always there whenever you need her. If a perfect person existed, then Carmella would be convinced it was Bayley. Carmella saw that in Bayley from the beginning, and she cherished that in her friend.

In NXT, Sasha did not. Or, at least, she acted like she didn’t. Carmella had never seen someone have such an obsessive, intense disdain toward another person as Sasha had for Bayley. Everything Sasha put Bayley through at that time was horrifying to Carmella. Seeing Bayley beaten down every single week by the woman upset Carmella more than she thought it would.

Carmella has disliked, even hated, a fair amount of people but never with the same vitriol, the same heat, that Sasha seemed to hate Bayley. Usually, all Carmella wanted to do when she disliked a person was get the hell away from them, but that wasn’t Sasha with Bayley.

Strangely, it seemed like the only thing Sasha wanted was to be around Bayley. The woman would go apoplectic any time she believed Bayley’s attention was turning to another person. Almost instantly, she would do something to draw Bayley’s attention back to her. Always through some kind of vile action.

But, Carmella knew. She knew even back then.

Carmella considers herself to be an observant person. And Sasha couldn’t hide the obvious as well as she thinks she did. The truth is that Sasha was the adult version of a little boy pulling the pigtails of the girl he likes in class. Except she was harsher. Crueler.

Sasha was ruthless. And all because she couldn’t accept what was clearly right in front of her. What was obvious to Carmella once she looked a little deeper.

Sasha had feelings for Bayley.

Sasha had always had feelings for Bayley.

And, for whatever reason, Sasha was treating Bayley so cruelly to avoid that truth.

But that doesn’t make how Sasha treated Bayley back then okay. Carmella resented Sasha something fierce for an extremely long time for her treatment of Bayley. The kind-hearted hugger was Carmella’s best friend, and Carmella has never taken well to people she cares about being mistreated. When Sasha left NXT, Carmella despised her.

Hated Sasha with every fiber of her being.

But it seemed like maybe Bayley didn’t feel that way anymore. Carmella started to walk in on Bayley face-timing Sasha or calling her on the phone. As time passed, their conversations grew longer and more frequent. Bayley began to develop what Carmella would refer to as her ‘Sasha voice.’

Carmella and Bayley would share a room often in those days when NXT would go on the road.  
Late at night, Bayley would move to the corner of the room and speak to Sasha with this specific quiet, soft voice that Carmella had never heard directed at anyone else. As Bayley’s heart softened to Sasha, Carmella slowly started to soften as well. At first, Carmella can admit she was completely distrustful of the woman, especially after witnessing firsthand how Bayley had been treated.

But, during those late nights, Carmella not only heard how Bayley talked to Sasha, but she also heard how Sasha talked to Bayley. Instead of Bayley’s quiet, soft voice, Sasha seemed to be bursting with longing and an almost reverence for Bayley. Carmella could hear it in Sasha’s every word to her friend.

But especially by how Sasha ended the calls. It was the same every time without fail.

When Bayley seemed to be winding the conversation down, Sasha would let out an, “I miss you,” and would ask when she could talk to Bayley next. Sasha would list off every free minute she had over the next couple days to nail down a time to call Bayley again.

And that wasn’t even the most pathetic part.

Before the call ended, Carmella could always hear Sasha ask Bayley, “Can I see you soon?” with a resigned, almost desperate waver in her voice. It was pitch black in the room, but Carmella swears she could see the frown on Bayley’s face. Most of the time Bayley’s answer was, “I don’t think so. The schedule is too busy, and I don’t have the money to fly out.”

In those moments, Carmella almost felt bad for Sasha. She didn’t hear the voice of The Boss during those phone calls. Or the brash, rude tone Sasha came out with every Monday Night Raw.

Carmella heard a girl in love. Missing Bayley. Longing for her company. But, even more importantly, longing for Bayley to love her back. Carmella thought it was sad that it took being separated for Sasha to accept how much she truly felt for Bayley.

Now, she would watch Sasha sometimes, and she would be overcome with sadness again.

Sadness for a girl who thought she could never be loved back. And maybe thinks she doesn’t deserve to be loved back.

Deserving or not though, one thing with Sasha has always remained the same. She will be damned if someone else draws Bayley’s attention away from her for longer than a few minutes.

Throughout the tenure of Sasha’s time apart from Bayley, it was Carmella who was with Bayley. Constantly. All of the time. Bayley and Carmella were best friends. And Carmella could see how Sasha could interpret that as something more. Carmella knows how affectionate Bayley and she are. How glued they were to each other's sides. They spent almost every waking moment together during those NXT days.

Carmella can see how someone who was insecure about their feelings and prone to jealousy would interpret all of that.

And, boy, was Sasha Banks prone to jealousy.

It was the reason Natalya even came up with this plan in the first place. And it was the reason Carmella was so reluctant to participate.

Because Carmella knew that no one could draw the ire of a jealous Sasha Banks quite like Carmella did.

Carmella isn’t scared of Sasha though.

She just...likes being alive.

 

X

 

When Natalya was told by Becky that Charlotte had failed, she almost wanted to give up. She was disappointed, exhausted, and out of options. They had done this four times now and all of them had failed miserably. Sasha and Bayley were no closer to getting together than when they started.

Natalya was so sure this plan would work. She was so confident coming into it, but, now, everything felt almost hopeless. She wishes she could just walk up to Sasha or Bayley and scream that they were in love with each other, but she knows neither of them would believe her. They are both so in love but so blind, which is the entire reason they started this in the first place.

And, now, they had run out of options. Everyone left in the group was either married or unwilling. The first thing Natalya did when Becky told her was to ask if Becky would participate next, but the champion refused immediately, mumbling something about ‘bad idea’ and ‘sensitive time.’

And, who was left after her?

Alexa, who Natalya doesn’t even bother to ask. That woman would never volunteer to do this in a million years, and Natalya wouldn’t trust her to not sabotage the entire mission out of spite for Bayley and Sasha. Honestly, Natalya still doesn’t even know why Alexa is here.

Then, there is Carmella. And Carmella has made it clear plenty of times that she is in no mood for a Sasha Banks beatdown. Carmella would have been the best option from the start because of her close friendship with Bayley, but she has emphatically rejected Natalya anytime she suggested Carmella take her turn at the helm.

Natalya just...wants to give up.

There is no one left, so what is the point?

She repeats as much to Becky on their phone call. Natalya can hear the hopelessness in her own voice. Instead of responding, the line goes completely silent.

After a few moments, Becky hums decisively. Natalya listens, waiting to hear what Becky has to say, but Becky never speaks. Instead of words, Natalya is met by the dial tone. Becky hung up on her without another word.

Natalya is almost certain the plan is over.

They have officially failed.

Natalya flops back on her bed, rubbing her fingers against her temple.

She has failed her best friends. Let them down. Natalya tried so hard to help them be happy together, but she couldn’t pull it off.

She’s a failure.

Natalya lies back on her bed for a few more minutes, utterly disappointed in herself.

Suddenly, her wallowing is interrupted by her phone buzzing. Natalya doesn’t move to grab it, deciding that she would rather continue to lie down and feel sorry for herself.

A few moments of wallowing later, her phone buzzes again. And again. And again.  
Finally, Natalya lets out an irritated huff, jerking up and snatching her phone from the bedside table. She angrily types in her passcode and opens her messages. There are six from Becky, all saying pretty much the same thing.

‘Carmella is in.’

Oh.

A small, hopeful grin appears on Natalya’s face as she reads through the messages.

This is the time.

No one has more of a shot than Carmella. Natalya doesn’t think there is a single person in the WWE who hasn’t witnessed the fierce glares Sasha shoots in Carmella’s direction. Or the months of dramatic fits Sasha would throw when Carmella and Bayley would upload another Periscope together when Bayley was still in NXT.

Sasha is already extremely jealous of Carmella when the girl isn’t even trying. Natalya can only imagine how much that is going to escalate when Carmella is actively “pursuing” Bayley.

Natalya knows for certain that, this time, they will not fail.

Carmella will succeed.

Natalya sends a quick text to Charlotte and falls asleep with a smile on her face.

 

X

 

After abruptly hanging up from her call with Natalya, Becky immediately dials another familiar number.

A few rings later, the woman picks up, “Mella speaking.”

Becky rolls her eyes at the greeting, grumbling out, “Already know it’s you, Carmella. I called ya, didn’t I?”

Carmella scoffs, “What do you want, Becky? It’s late, and I need my beauty rest.”

“Charlotte failed.”

Becky hears a pause on the phone for a moment, before Carmella hesitantly answers, “That...sucks. I really thought Charlotte would pull this off for Bayley and Sasha...Um, so are we, like, giving up?”

Becky replies sarcastically, “Oh, you would just love that wouldn’t ya?”

Without hesitating, Carmella firmly asserts, “Of course I don’t want that. Bayley is my best friend, and I want her to be happy. That’s why I decided to join this group in this first place.”

Becky laughs meanly, “Oh, and running away anytime someone asks you to help sure shows your loyalty to your best friend.”

The line goes silent as Carmella attempts to rein in her temper. Bayley has been Carmella’s best friend for years. How dare Becky assume Carmella wouldn’t do anything to help her? However, Carmella doesn’t want to explode on this phone call over one sentence. She tries to remember that she actually likes Becky...sometimes. It mostly works.

Carmella takes a deep breath, responding, “I don’t run away. I just don’t think it’s a good idea for me to get involved when Sasha already feels so strongly--”

Becky interrupts, “Sasha hates your guts.”

“Yeah. Pretty much.”

There’s a pause for a moment that Becky breaks, “Ya know we’re kinda out of options here, right?”

In resignation at this, Carmella sighs, “I know.”

“Well?” Becky questions insistently.

Carmella, unable to help herself, tries to get out of this once again, “Becky, it’s not the best idea. We’re going to stir up all these old insecurities, and I just don’t want to deal--”

“With making Bayley happy?” Becky interrupts.

“That’s not it. I love Bayley. I’d do anything for her.”

Becky hums skeptically, “Well, sure doesn’t seem like it to me.”

Carmella pauses, trying to weigh out all the positives and negatives in her mind. Carmella wants to help her best friend, and she probably has the best shot out of any of these girls. However, Sasha already hates her, and this will definitely make it even worse between them.

But, ultimately, both of the girls would be happier. Yet, shouldn’t Carmella’s happiness matter too? How can Carmella be happy if she’s dead? Because she is certainly running the risk of Sasha killing her if Carmella so much as bats her eyelashes at Bayley.

Becky interrupts her train of thought, “Are ya just gonna sit there silently or are ya gonna help Bayley?”

Carmella sighs. God, what is she about to get herself into.

“Ugh, fine,” Carmella huffs, “I’ll do it. But I get final approval on what I’m doing. And I need all of you there to stop Sasha from killing me.”

The line goes silent as Becky pretends to contemplate this for a moment.

“Deal,” Becky responds with finality.

Becky hangs up without another word.

Carmella lays in bed a moment longer before standing up to get ready for bed. She goes through her nightly routine, changes into her silk pajamas, and pulls the covers back to get in bed.

Before Carmella falls asleep that night, she reminds herself: ‘I am not scared of Sasha. I am not scared of Sasha. I am NOT scared of Sasha. Oh, God. Why did I agree to this?’

 

X

 

When Carmella was young, her Mom would always tell her stories of soulmates. She would tell Carmella that, in life, she will meet many people. She’ll make friends, have boyfriends, and stumble across thousands of people before she grows old. And all these people will be great.

But a soulmate is something different.

Carmella’s Mom told her she will connect with that person instantly. They will meet each other, and something will click. Shift into place. That Carmella will see them, and something inside her will quietly say, ‘Oh. There they are.’

She told Carmella that soulmates just fit together. They fill in your gaps, and you fill in theirs. And that makes everything a little easier. A little brighter. A little happier.

A soulmate will give Carmella’s world new life. A new meaning.

A soulmate is inspiration. Passion. Comfort. Love. Forgiveness. Home.

All wrapped up together in a beautiful bundle.

But the most important thing Carmella was told by her mother was that no one has just one soulmate in their life. Out of the thousands of people Carmella will meet, more than one will be her soulmate. And they will be her soulmate in their own, unique way. They will make her feel different emotions.

Sometimes romantic. Sometimes platonic.

But the most important part of a soulmate is that connection. The one that goes beyond words. That special something that makes the relationship easy. That special click when something that was separated snaps back into place.

Carmella meets Bayley.

She meets Bayley, and Carmella hears the click.

 

X

 

Shortly after leaving NXT, Sasha began to realize how big of a mistake she had made throughout her time on the yellow brand. Being separated from Bayley put things into perspective for Sasha. Made her realize things about herself and her feelings she didn’t see before.

She missed Bayley.

And not the thrill of having an enemy. Or a challenger. Or someone that forces you to step your game up. She missed Bayley like she just needed her around. She missed Bayley’s presence. Her aura. And, feeling all of that so intensely made Sasha start to think.

To question herself. And her feelings. And her interactions with Bayley down in NXT.

Eventually, she started to realize why she missed Bayley this way. Why she was longing every day for Bayley’s presence.

Sasha realized that she wasn’t longing to fight with Bayley. To hurt Bayley. She was actually longing for things she had never had at all. For a conversation with Bayley that wasn’t an argument. For Bayley to look at her with eyes that expressed love instead of anger. To even just be around Bayley. To have Bayley smile at her. Laugh because of something Sasha said.

And that wasn’t all.

The deeper Sasha looked within herself the more she realized that she longed for Bayley to hold her. To intertwine their fingers. To tuck a strand of hair behind Sasha’s ear with a soft smile on her face. To lie in bed in with her, their bodies intertwined.

She wanted Bayley to kiss her.

She wanted Bayley to love her.

Too.

Sasha had been blind for so long. And had ruined, had sabotaged, any chance she might have had with Bayley.

Now? There was no way Bayley could ever love Sasha. No way she could want any of the things Sasha did.

Sasha was awful to Bayley.

She was a monster, and Bayley was an angel.

And an angel could never love a monster

But Sasha couldn’t just give up. Not when she had been so terrible to Bayley. She had to make it up to Bayley somehow. She didn’t know how to though.

Sasha thought she had her chance at Takeover: Respect. Sasha gave her all in that match, but the air between the two of them seemed a little different. The match wasn’t just about the NXT Women’s Title. Sasha and Bayley were accomplishing something greater that night.

Something historic.

The first-ever women’s Iron Man match. The first ever women’s main event of a pay-per-view WWE has aired.

And Bayley and Sasha were doing that together. Because of their last match. Because of their feud for that title.

That seemed to have made things different.

The fire just wasn’t as vicious between them. The air shifted a little bit, and the flames burned a little less bright. Sasha thought that she had an opening. After making her way backstage, Sasha waited for Bayley. She had to apologize. Now.

It was her moment. Face-to-face. Say she is sorry. For everything.

But Bayley comes backstage with the widest smile Sasha has ever seen on her face. When she walks through the curtains into gorilla, the applause from everyone is deafening. Immediately, Bayley is surrounded by hugs and congratulations.

Sasha watches, and Bayley looks so happy.

This is Bayley’s moment. Not Sasha’s.

Does Bayley really deserve to have her night ruined by a pathetic apology from a woman Bayley hates?

No.

Sasha looks at Bayley one last time. And then, she walks away. Packs her things silently. Heads to the next city where Raw will air on Monday without so much as a goodbye to Bayley.

Here’s the truth about that night though. The truth about that moment. Sasha didn’t walk away for Bayley. It wasn’t some noble, selfless act.

Sasha walked away because she’s a coward.

The second she pulls out in her car to head on the road, Sasha regrets it.

This was their last moment. There will be no more matches between Sasha and Bayley. No more appearances from Sasha on NXT.

Who knows when she will see Bayley next?

And she let the moment pass her by. Her chance to apologize. Because she was so terrified that Bayley would reject Sasha directly to her face.

A week passes by, and regret has consumed Sasha. The knowledge that she might not see Bayley for months has increased her longing for Bayley tenfold. Sasha needs to see her. Look into her eyes. Or at least talk to her.

So, one day, Sasha gathers up all the courage she has, steals Bayley’s number from Becky’s phone, and calls her.

Hearing Bayley’s soft, “Hello?” after months of zero communication fills Sasha’s heart up. Sasha felt so much all at once that she thought she might burst. Explode from having so many feelings inside of her.

Sasha breathes out a nervous, “Hi…”

“Who is this?”

The kindness in Bayley’s tone present even in such a benign question confirms everything Sasha has been feeling for months. She loves Bayley. Has loved her for so long.

“Um, this is Sasha...Sasha Banks…”

There’s a pause on the line for a moment where Sasha feels like she is going to throw up. She knows Bayley is going to hang up at any moment, and Sasha doesn’t blame her at all. If Sasha was in Bayley’s situation, she would hurl expletives at herself, hang up, and block the number. Honestly, that’s what Sasha deserves.

But Bayley...she has always given people so much more than they deserved.

Sasha hears an exasperated sigh.

“What do you want, Sasha?”

“I just...um...we didn’t get a chance to talk at Takeover, and I mi--wanted to check in?”

“You...wanted to check in? With me?” Bayley questions, sounding suspicious and distrustful.

“Yeah,” Sasha whispers, “I did-I do.”

“Okaay. Well, I mean, I’m fine. I guess.”

Sasha nods before remembering Bayley can’t see her, “That’s...that’s good. I’m doing good too. Um, it’s really different from NXT. But I’m adjusting?”

“Yeah, I’ve been watching.”

Hope sparks inside Sasha’s heart at the admission. Bayley has been watching her. Seeing her every week. The longing in Sasha’s chest increases, and it feels as if it’s hollowing her out. Moving everything away. Leaving Bayley to fill the new space. Only Bayley.

“You’ve been watching me?” Sasha asks, trying to force the eagerness out of her voice.

“I’ve been watching all of you...I mean, I talk to Becky and Charlotte sometimes.”

“Oh…” Sasha says, disappointment laced through her voice.

God, she is so stupid. Of course, Bayley wouldn’t watch for her. Why the hell would she after everything Sasha has done? She’s watching for Becky and Charlotte. And Sasha is just there too.

Bayley would never watch to see Sasha.

Sasha doesn’t matter, could never matter. Not to Bayley.

“You...you guys are doing great up there. Really changing the game, y’know?”

Suddenly, Sasha blurts out, “I watch NXT every single week.”

“...you do?”

“Yeah,” Sasha breathes, “You’re doing great. As champion.”

There’s another pause on the line for a moment.

“Sasha, why did you call me?”

Sasha’s breath catches at the question, and she can feel her heart beating faster. She pulls the phone away from her for a moment and sucks in a deep, stuttering breath.

“I-wanted to talk?”

“Sasha,” Bayley sighs, “You’ve never just wanted to talk to me before.”

Sasha wishes she could say, ‘That’s not true. Since I left, the only person I’ve ever wanted to talk to is you. Hell, the only person I’ve wanted is you. Here. With me. Please, come here. I miss you so much.’

But Sasha doesn’t have the right to say any of those things to Bayley.

Not after everything she said. Everything she did.

Instead, Sasha decides to stop being a coward. She made this phone call for a reason. And she is not hanging up until she says what Bayley deserves to hear.

“I lied,” Sasha confesses quietly, “I didn’t call to talk.”

“Not surprising. So, why did you call?”

Sasha pauses for a moment, swallows harshly, and says, “I’m sorry, Bayley.”

“You’re...sorry?”

Sasha recognizes the disbelief and confusion in Bayley’s voice, but she decides to power through and push it all out. She knows if she doesn’t apologize now, then she will never be able to get the words out.

“I am. I’m so sorry, Bayley. I’ve had a lot of time to….think recently. And I-I thought about my time in NXT a lot? And everything that went down between us, and um. I was really terrible. And you didn’t do anything to deserve that. So I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry, Bayley.”

There’s another pause as Bayley doesn’t respond. Sasha begins to panic and rushes out even more apologies to fill the void.

“And I know that doesn’t make up for everything, alright? I know that. I was cruel and awful and I...hurt you. So, I’m not-I’m not asking for forgiveness, okay? I don’t deserve that.”

There’s still silence on the line, and tears begin to well up in Sasha’s eyes as her anxiety and panic only rise. God, why did she think this was a good idea? Bayley hates her. She should have never called Bayley. Sasha starts babbling more in an attempt to prevent herself from crying.

“If you don’t ever want to speak to me after this call, then I understand. You probably shouldn’t. Just tell me, and I promise I’ll never call you again. I’ll delete your number. And when you get pulled up, I will walk in the opposite direction whenever I see you, if that’s what you want. I just- you deserved an apology, so I- I’m sorry, Bayley.”

Once again, there’s no response from Bayley. A few tears roll down Sasha’s cheeks knowing that she’s been rejected. Bayley probably thinks she’s crazy. Or that this is some kind of cruel trick from Sasha. She has no clue how Sasha really feels, and why would she?

Even if she did know, Bayley would be disgusted at the thought of Sasha having feelings for her.

This entire call was stupid. Bayley didn’t want to hear her apology. Sasha doesn’t even deserve to apologize.

“I-um. I’m just gonna go. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called. I won’t call again. I’m sorry Bay--”

“Wait.”

The single word from Bayley causes Sasha to freeze. The panic in her disappears, and her breath catches. But Sasha tries to squash down any hope that arises in her from the word. Instead, Sasha listens closely. She can hear Bayley breathing over the line. God, Sasha wants to see her so much.

“You won’t have to avoid me in the halls.”

“I-,” Sasha swallows, “What?”

“When I get pulled up. You won’t have to avoid me.”

At the slight reassurance, Sasha can feel some of her anxiety slip away. Bayley hates her. But she doesn’t hate Sasha so much she couldn’t even stand the sight of her. That’s already so much more than Sasha deserves.

“Oh,” she says quietly.

“It might even be okay if you,” Bayley seems to hesitate for a moment, “said hi to me in the halls. You know? As we passed each other.”

A small grin slips onto Sasha’s face, “Yeah, Yeah. I can do that.”

“You can say hi?”

At the slight teasing, Sasha feels herself get flustered, “I mean— um, I will say hi?”

A laugh rings out from Bayley, and it’s the most beautiful sound Sasha has ever heard. Made even more beautiful because Sasha caused the laugh. Sasha brought it out of her. For a moment, Sasha made Bayley happy. Sasha clutches her phone tighter, holding on to this feeling.

“Hi, Sasha.”

The grin on Sasha’s face widens, “Hi, Bayley.”

“Wow, whoever thought the great Sasha Banks would say hi to little ole me?”

The grin drops from Sasha’s face and she sobers up quickly at the words.

“I’m not that great…”

There’s a pause on the line as Bayley seems to hesitate again. Sasha starts beating herself up for turning the light conversation into something negative. Bayley seemed happy for a moment, and Sasha ruined it. Made it all about herself. And now Bayley is probably angry. Sasha deserves her anger.

“Maybe…”

Sasha pulls herself out of her head to listen to Bayley.

“Maybe, I should be the judge of that.”

Sasha furrows her eyebrows, “What?”

“Well, you apologized. Did you mean it or are you going to go back to being a butt?”

Sasha immediately rushes out, “No, no, no. It’s different. I won’t treat you like that again, Bayley. I promise. It’s not—I wouldn’t—”

“Hey, woah,” Bayley interrupts, “It’s cool. I believe you.”

Sasha breathes sharply and clutches her phone tighter again.

She eagerly seeks reassurance, “You believe me?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, I’ll believe you until you give me a reason not to. You sounded sincere enough.”

Sasha nods her head again, “I’m sincere. I’m definitely sincere. I mean it. I won’t make you doubt that I—”

“Sasha,” Bayley interrupts again with a laugh, “Calm down. It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not okay. Bayley, how I treated you is not okay. You don’t deserve that, and you shouldn’t accept that kind of—”

“Sasha, you don’t have to keep—”

Sasha shakes her head firmly, “But I do. I was awful and mean and vile. And I’m disgusted with myself. I should have never— I’m a monster and—”

“You’re not a monster.”

Sasha feels tears spring in her eyes at Bayley’s words, “No, no, I am.”

“No, you’re not,” Bayley asserts over the line, “Sasha, monsters do not apologize this wholeheartedly. And they definitely don’t call themselves monsters. You aren’t a monster.”

A tear makes its way down Sasha’s face.

She can’t stop herself from blurting out, “You don’t hate me?”

Sasha cringes as she hears the desperation in her own voice. God, Bayley is going to think she’s so pathetic. Bayley probably just feels sorry for her. That’s why she’s saying all these things. Bayley is too nice, and she pities Sasha.

“I—I thought I did…”

Sasha shuts her eyes to stop more tears from falling. Bayley hates her. And she just admitted it. Bayley would never love Sasha back.

“But…”

Sasha’s eyes shoot open at the word. But? But what? Does she—could she possibly—

“Now? I don’t know anymore. I don’t want to hate you, Sasha.”

Sasha breathes out a sigh of relief. Everything in her seems to relax at once. For the first time in this conversation, Sasha feels like she has a chance. Not a chance at a relationship. Or even a friendship. Those things are too amazing to even dream of. But, Sasha believes she might have a chance at forgiveness. They couldn’t be friends, but maybe they could be polite acquaintances.

Sasha breaks herself out of her reverie, “I don’t want you to hate me. I don’t— I don’t hate you.”

“You don’t?”

“No!”

Sasha cringes at the volume of her voice. She just screamed at Bayley down the line. She needs to get some self-control around Bayley. Before she says something too revealing, and Bayley figures everything out. If she finds out, then Bayley will be revolted by her. Bayley could never want someone like Sasha to love her.

Sasha hears Bayley snort over the line, and her chest swells with pride. She’d embarrass herself a million times to make Bayley laugh once.

“That’s good,” Bayley says through a giggle, “Listen, Sasha. I gotta go.”

Sasha feels disappoint course through her. Even with the awkwardness of this call, it’s the first conversation the two women have had that could be considered pleasant. And, with their current separation, who knows how long it will be before she hears Bayley’s voice again.

“But,” Bayley continues, “Maybe we could...talk again?”

“We could? You want to talk to me again?” Sasha asks hopefully.

“Yeah, I think I do.”

An ear-splitting grin breaks out on Sasha’s face, “I would….I would like that. I’d like that a lot.”

“Okay,” Bayley hums happily, “Same time next week?”

Sasha eagerly agrees, “Yeah, of course. Whenever you’re free.”

“Cool. I’ll talk to you then.”

“Yeah,” Sasha breathes out happily.

“Alright. Bye, Sasha.”

“Bye, Bayley,” Sasha says, smile still painted on her face.

“Sasha?”

Sasha stops herself in the midst of hanging up, “Yeah?”

“Thank you. For calling. And apologizing. It means a lot.”

The grin on Sasha’s face becomes a little shyer, “Yeah, of course.”

“Talk to you soon.”

Bayley hangs the phone up. Sasha sits stationary on her hotel bed, a huge lovestruck grin on her face. She never expected the phone call to go that well. Bayley wants to talk to her again. Next week. Sasha gets to hear her voice again. Maybe make her laugh again. Even getting to talk to Bayley fills Sasha with so much excitement.

The grin on her face grows wider, and her hand slaps the bed excitedly. She flops down on her pillow behind her and laughs happily.

For the first time in her wrestling career, Sasha wishes she could skip past all her shows this week. Bayley just hung up, but Sasha already wants to talk to her again. Misses her already. Can’t wait to hear Bayley talk about whatever she wants next week.

And Sasha hopes that next time won’t be the last. That Bayley will want to talk to her again. And again. And again.

At the time, Sasha didn’t know it.

But this was only the beginning.

 

X

 

“Okay, girls,” Natalya says loudly, “Time to get down to business.”

As Raw and Smackdown were in different towns this time, the Raw girls and Smackdown girls had gathered with their counterparts and were having their next meeting over a Skype call between Natalya and Naomi. The Raw girls had all gathered together in Natalya’s room, while the Smackdown women were crowded together on Naomi’s bed.

“What business? We failed again. How is this still going? Do none of you have anything better to do?” Alexa questions grumpily.

Surprisingly, Asuka is the one to respond to Alexa first.

Asuka looks into the phone at Alexa and simply commands, “Be quiet.”

“Excuse me?” Alexa responds, aghast.

Naomi laughs and high fives Asuka, “She said to be quiet, Bliss. You hard of hearing, or do you just not understand English?”

Alexa huffs angrily, “God, you are all so annoying.”

Most of the other girls laugh, used to Alexa’s antics at this point. They are slowly learning that, outside of the ring, this girl seems to be all bark and no bite. And, instead of constant annoyance at her interruptions, it’s actually becoming amusing. The only two women who don’t laugh are Becky and Charlotte, who are still miffed by their recent interactions with Alexa.

Alexa looks away from the women as they laugh, successfully stifling a small grin that tries to make its way onto her face. After her schooling her features back into an annoyed expression, she turns back to the group of women.

She rolls her eyes, “Whatever. Can we just get through this already? We know Charlotte failed, which I easily predicted beforehand. What’s next?”

Inside the other hotel room, Charlotte’s fists clench at Alexa’s dismissal. She closes her eyes and shakes her head. Becky glances at Charlotte just as her eyes open. She rolls her eyes at Alexa’s words, and a small grin appears on Charlotte’s face.

Natalya answers Alexa’s questions, “Well, we’ve had another volunteer. Does the volunteer want to speak up?”

The ladies glance around at their counterparts. Ember eyes Alexa warily, while Charlotte’s eyes drift to Becky with an inscrutable expression on her face.

“It’s me. I’m going next,” Carmella sighs reluctantly.

The girls all sit at attention, surprised that Carmella has agreed to participate. Out of all of the women, Carmella has been the most adamant in her desire to not insert herself between Bayley and Sasha. The abrupt change was shocking.

Natalya nods approvingly, “Thank you, Carmella. We all know how much you did not want to get involved. And I’m sure it’s going to mean a lot to Bayley and Sasha that you were willing to help them out.”

Carmella cringes at the thought of Sasha’s reaction to her upcoming actions. Unlike Natalya, Carmella doesn’t expect that welcoming of a reaction from Sasha. Even if she finds out it was all an act, Carmella highly doubts that would change much in Sasha’s mind.

“You’re welcome,” Carmella says to appease Natalya, “I just want to be here for Bayley.”

Natalya smiles, “That’s really sweet. So, girls, who has got an idea for Carmella?”

The girls are all silent for a moment, searching for an idea. Peyton and Billie are whispering to each other, but neither seems as if they are going to suggest any sort of plan to the group. Carmella is looking down at her lap warily, drumming her fingers nervously against her thighs.

Charlotte comes up with the first suggestion, “I think Carmella should just walk straight up and kiss Bayley. We want to put an end to this? Take it to the extreme. Kiss her and be done with it. Sasha will snap immediately.”

The IIconics are firmly nodding their heads in agreement. Carmella’s eyes widen in fear, and she furiously shakes her head.

Billie speaks up, “If Carmella is not willing to make that sacrifice for Sasha and Bayley, then I guess Peyton and I have no choice but to reluctantly volunteer our lips.”

Peyton turns to Billie with a fake gloomy expression, “Oh, that truly is so sad.”

Billie nods sympathetically, “I know this will be extremely difficult for us, Peyton. But sometimes we have to take the high road and really just not think about ourselves.”

“I guess you are right, Billie,” Peyton pouts, “We have no other choice than to kiss Bayley.”

Most of the other women on the call are torn between rolling their eyes or laughing at the couple. Naomi leans over and smacks the two women lightly on the back of their heads.

“Ow!” the two women yell out simultaneously.

Naomi scolds the women, “Y’all are ridiculous. And we are definitely NOT letting you two kiss Bayley. The last thing that sweet girl needs is you two nasties sexually assaulting her.”

The two IIconics pout at Naomi, rubbing the back of their heads where Naomi smacked them.

“Life is so unfair,” Peyton declares.

Billie agrees with her girlfriend, “We never get to have any fun.”

Naomi rolls her eyes, “You two seemed to have plenty of fun on the car ride here. Lucky that I didn’t pull the car over and throw you both out.”

The girls around them look at the trio in confusion, not sure when the three of them started traveling together.

Natalya quirks an eyebrow, “You three travel together?”

Billie answers brightly, “Yes! Well, the three of us and Asuka. Naomi just loves our company!”

“No I don’t,” Naomi protests fiercely.

Peyton grins at her, “Yes, she does. Naomi loooves us.”

Naomi shoots a glare at the girls, “I hate both of you. Deeply.”

Billie looks through the screen at Natalya, “That is just Naomi speak for, ‘They are my best friends.’”

Peyton nods her agreement, grin still apparent on her face. Naomi is rubbing her fingers against her temples, frustration mounting at the women. Hell will freeze over before Naomi actually lets herself admit to the group that she has grown fond of Peyton and Billie.

“Okaayy. Moving on from whatever that was,” Alexa interjects, “What are we doing? Because Carmella clearly should not be kissing Bayley. Right?”

Carmella agrees loudly, “Yes! Absolutely right!”

Asuka, who was sitting beside the woman, jumps at the sudden, loud yell. She glares at Carmella for a second before silently turning back to look at the screen. The girls in the room begin to chatter amongst themselves, all attempting to formulate a plan for Carmella.

Peyton, finally having an idea, turns to whisper in Billie’s ear. Billie grins and nods emphatically, gesturing for Peyton to share her idea with the group.

Billie calls everyone to attention, “Hello! Everyone, be quiet. My lovely girlfriend has an idea to share with you!”

The women on the call all quiet down and turn their attention to Peyton.

Peyton grins, “Carmella should SEXT Bayley!”

Disappointed sighs ring out around the room at the suggestion while Carmella lets out a terrified squeak. An irritated, ‘I swear to God,’ can be heard from Naomi’s direction.

Natalya eyes Billie and Peyton through the phone sternly, “No. We are not sexually harassing Bayley.”

Peyton turns to pout at Billie, “They never like my ideas.”

Bille looks at Peyton sympathetically, “I love your ideas. They just don’t know how smart you are.”

“Wait a second,” Ember interrupts suddenly.

The girls fall silent again as the attention shifts to Ember. The woman seems to shy away from the stares for a moment before steeling herself.

“Peyton might have been on to something,” Ember suggests.

Peyton squeals excitedly at the unexpected show of support, and Billie grins proudly at her girlfriend.

Billie agrees, “Peyton always knows what she’s talking about.”

Naomi interjects, “Alright, Ember. Have you lost your damn mind? How are you agreeing with dumb and dumber over there?”

Billie and Peyton shoot exaggerated offended looks in Naomi’s direction. Naomi acknowledges the looks with an eye roll.

“No, no,” Ember argues, “I don’t agree with Peyton.”

Peyton deflates at the comment, upset at the loss of support.

Ember continues, “But she was on the right track. Carmella shouldn’t SEXT Bayley, but maybe we’ve been approaching this the wrong way.”

“What do you mean?” Natalya asks, with a curious expression on her face.

“Well,” Ember replies, “We’ve been doing each of these in one day, right? Actually just in a few hours. Sasha gets angry easily, but she’s kept her feelings for Bayley hidden for years. It makes perfect sense that she wouldn’t explode off a few hours of work when all that effort has been expended into keeping this a secret.”

The women on the call all get thoughtful looks on their faces, listening closely to Ember’s every word now. Noticing their attentiveness, Ember feels her confidence begin to grow and continues on with her proposal.

“So, maybe we need to play a longer game. Instead of just a few hours, extend this over days. Maybe even a whole week. We need to push Sasha to her limit if we want her to crack.”

Natalya nods thoughtfully, “I think you might be onto something, Ember. But how do we extend this over a week? RAW and Smackdown travel on a different schedule. Carmella can’t spend an entire week with Bayley and Sasha.”

“She doesn’t have to,” Ember answers eagerly, “I got the idea from Peyton, because she suggested communicating over the phone. That could be all we need to drive Sasha crazy. Carmella doesn’t even have to be in the same room as Sasha OR Bayley.”

Carmella perks her head up happily at the thought of not ever having to be in the presence of Sasha during this process. Physical separation from Sasha means Sasha cannot strangle Carmella to death for doing this. So, any idea that involves avoiding Sasha is one Carmella is going to get behind.

“How are phone calls and texts going to make Sasha confess?” Naomi questions, eyes narrowed and voice colored with doubt.

Ember answers Naomi with a question of her own, “How would it make you feel if some girl was blowing up Jimmy’s phone every time you two were together?”

Naomi looks at Ember through the phone silently.

After a few moments, Naomi nods simply, “Yep, she’s right. A bitch would die.”

Knowing that she has drawn Naomi to her side, a proud, beaming smile emerges on Ember’s face. The other women in the room seem to share the agreement. Some nodding while others murmur their agreements to the others around them.

Natalya glances at the two women in her room. Alexa has turned to Ember and is seemingly sharing her support for the girl’s plan. Ember is grinning happily at Alexa, interjecting quietly when Alexa leaves a gap for her. Natalya watches the two women get along for a moment, regarding Alexa’s unusually kind demeanor.

Natalya makes notes of this observation. Maybe Alexa does have a little bit of a heart after all.

Deciding to break through the chatter, Natalya declares, “I think Ember’s idea is great, and I have no problems with it.”

Ember beams at Natalya while the women on the call are nodding in agreement with Natalya’s words.

“Before we make it official,” Natalya urges, “Does anyone have any problems with Ember’s suggestion?”

The women go quiet, all ready to try this completely new approach. With all of their plans failing before, the ladies think another change is needed to freshen things up. And, at this point, they are honestly willing to try anything. Natalya’s plan to get Bayley and Sasha together has taken up significantly more time than any of the women had planned for.

Natalya nods at the silence, “Okay, great! Carmella, are you okay with this?”

Carmella nods, “Absolutely. Any plan that keeps me alive and out of Sasha’s reach is perfect. And it would be nice to talk to Bayley more anyways.”

Natalya smiles gently at the admission, “We know you miss her.”

Carmella looks down at her lap, quietly saying, “Yeah, I do.”

The Smackdown women look at their friend compassionately. Becky and Charlotte share an understanding look, knowing how difficult it was for them to be separated from a person they care about deeply.

Asuka stares at Carmella sadly for a moment before moving to rest her head on the woman’s shoulder. Carmella grins slightly at the show of affection and kindness from her past rival, leaning her head down to rest against Asuka’s.

A soft smile grows on Naomi’s face at the sight, and she says, “You’ll definitely get to talk to her more now.”

Beginning to cheer up from the support from her friends, Carmella grins happily, “Yeah, you’re right.”

Asuka wraps her arm through Carmella’s, continuing to rest quietly on the woman’s shoulder. Carmella hums, not wanting to break away from the friendly gesture of affection.

Looking at Naomi, Carmella asks, “How should I do this though? What do I say? How do I know when I need to talk to Bayley?”

Naomi, unsure of an answer, turns to look at Natalya on the screen, “Whatcha think, boss?”

Natalya chuckles, “I’m not the boss here.”

She looks around at the group of women encouragingly, “We’re a team, guys! We always have been. You guys are my family.”

Billie exclaims brightly, “And you’re our Mom!”

The grin on Natalya’s face drops, “I am not the Mom.”

“We love you, Mom!” Billie and Peyton cheer happily.

At the antics from the IIconics, the group of women bursts into uproarious laughter. Even the usually composed Becky and Alexa can’t help a few chuckles slipping out. The worst of them all is Naomi, who has fallen off the bed from her laughter.

Natalya rolls her eyes, trying to stifle a grin, “Can we be serious again, please?”

“Oh, no, Peyton,” Billie yells playfully, “We better listen, or Mom might ground us!”

Peyton gasps, “I can’t be grounded, Billie! We’ve got prom next week! What are we going to do?”

The responses from Peyton and Billie immediately redouble the laughter in the two rooms. Ember has leaned toward Alexa, laughing hysterically into her shoulder. Naomi is on the floor in her room, tears streaming down her face. Billie and Peyton sit happily with proud grins.

“Okay, guys,” Natalya says good-naturedly, “You’ve had your fun.”

Again, Billie turns to Peyton, “Mom said no more fun.”

“Billie, it must be past our bedtime!” Peyton declares dramatically.

Natalya rolls her eyes, “Okay, you guys. We get it. I’m the Mom.”

As the laughter finally begins to die down, Ember nudges Natalya, “You’re a great Mom.”

Natalya shakes her head unable to keep the smile off her face, “I think we’ve had our fun. But now, we need to answer Carmella’s questions. I think you need to emphasize that you miss Bayley instantly. Bayley loves you. If you approach the call sounding genuinely upset, she’s not going to ignore any of your calls and texts. That’s not Bayley.”

The women in the room have finally calmed down as Natalya begins to refocus on the plan. Naomi wipes her tears away as she climbs back up onto the bed. As Natalya is talking, she discreetly fist bumps Billie and Peyton.

Carmella nods at Natalya’s answer, “I think that might work. So I will just say I miss her, and I want to start talking more. How do I know when I need to call her though?”

Natalya sits quietly for a moment in thought.

However, before Natalya can respond, Alexa answers with her own idea.

“Well, there’s three of us on RAW with Bayley and Sasha. And…two of us are their friends...Can’t we keep track of them? Fill Carmella in when there’s a good moment between Bayley and Sasha to break up?”

The group all stare at Alexa, shocked by her first ever helpful suggestion. And, on top of that, it’s actually a good suggestion. Naomi raises her eyebrows approvingly at the woman.

Noticing the stares, Alexa tenses up, “What are you looking at? I can have an idea. I’m smarter than all of you.”

Becky scoffs, “What made ya decide to share with the gallery all the sudden?”

Alexa glares haughtily, “Excuse you. I’m a very helpful person.”

“Yeah, right,” Becky taunts meanly.

Alexa sneers, “You always have to complain about something. My comments don’t concern you any more, honey.”

“Hey!” Becky bellows, “I’ll concern myself with whatever I please, lass. So shut your mouth.”

Alexa looks around at the other women with widened eyes, “Are you serious? I come up with a great suggestion, and I get told to shut up? This is ridiculous!”

Natalya places a calming hand on Alexa’s arm, “Thank you for your suggestion. It’s great.”

She turns to look at Becky through the phone, “Becky, try to stay a little calmer next time. Alexa is just trying to help.”

Becky sinks back into the bed, crosses her arms, and petulantly mutters, “She started it…”

“She really didn’t,” Naomi interjects, “What did I tell you about calming down? C’mon, girl. You’ve gotta help yourself a little here.”

Becky looks down at the bed. Her only reply is a huff of resignation. Charlotte looks toward the woman, concern shining in her eyes. However, she doesn’t make any move to close the gap between Becky and herself. Despite their conversation yesterday, nothing has changed. And, until Becky makes a decision, the two women are no closer to reconciliation.

Wanting to move on before another confrontation erupts, Natalya says, “Alexa’s idea is perfect. All three of us will try to keep eyes on Bayley and Sasha for the next week. Any time they seem to be having a moment, we will text Carmella to interrupt. If Carmella keeps interrupting them any time they are together, Sasha is going to start getting frustrated. And after a few days of this, she might let something slip.”

The girls in the two rooms nod, supportive of the plan.

Natalya looks to Carmella again, “Do you need help with anything else?”

Carmella shakes her head, “No, I think I can take it from here. When should I start?”

Naomi glances down at her phone. 1:07 AM.

Naomi grins conspiratorially, “You should just do it now. Wake ‘em up. Gonna put Boss in a bad mood instantly.”

Carmella shrugs, “Okay, cool.”

She pulls out her phone and dials Bayley’s number.

 

X

 

Two months later finds that Bayley and Sasha have established a system of phone calls. On Sunday and Wednesday, they will dedicate their entire afternoons to each other. On Friday nights, they will stay up until the early hours of the morning speaking in hushed tones. By this time, most of Sasha’s anxiety about Bayley hating her has melted away. On every phone call, Bayley sounds bright, chipper, and excited.

And that does things to Sasha. Every excited greeting from Bayley steals Sasha’s breath. Brings a soft grin to Sasha’s face. No matter how many times Bayley has greeted her the same way, the reactions never change. Sasha just feels so damn lucky. She’s gone from not hearing from Bayley for months on end to getting to speak with her three times each week.

And, although that’s not enough (Sasha doesn’t think any amount of Bayley would be enough for her), it’s much better than what she had before. Bayley and Sasha seemed to have fostered a tentative friendship from a bitter rivalry.

When Sasha gets back from her morning workout, she quickly jumps into the shower. Today is the first day Sasha and Bayley have planned on FaceTiming instead of their usual call. And Sasha is not about to see Bayley for the first time in two months looking sweaty and disgusting after a workout.

Not that Bayley would care what she looks like. Bayley isn’t interested in her like that. Could never be interested in Sasha like that.

But Sasha can’t help herself.

She showers. She puts on a full face of makeup. Then, she frets over an outfit in her closet for thirty minutes. She finally settles on one that looks hot but like she’s not trying too hard…which she obviously was. But Bayley can’t know that.

Sasha moves to her bed with her phone, waiting for Bayley’s call. But, after a few moments, she changes her mind and moves to the couch. What if Sasha laying in her bed is too intimate? The couch is more casual. Nonchalant.

She’s considering moving back to the bed when her phone rings. Sasha smooths her hair down and takes a deep breath before answering the call. Suddenly, Bayley’s smiling face lights up the screen of Sasha’s phone. Sasha’s breath catches at the sight of her, having only seen her for a few minutes on NXT TV each week.

Bayley is sitting on her bed. Hair down with no makeup. God, she’s beautiful. Bayley’s sporting a tank top which gives a glimpse of her arms from the angle Bayley is holding her phone. Sasha barely stops herself from biting her lip at the sight. Bayley has clearly been working out. And, god, is it working for Sasha.

“Hey, Sash!” Bayley grins, waving excitedly.

A nervous grin crosses Sasha’s face.

She softly returns the greeting, “Hi, Bay.”

Sasha smiles at Bayley, who seems to be almost vibrating from her enthusiasm. Bayley was the one who suggested they FaceTime instead of their Wednesday phone call, and she almost knocked Sasha’s hearing out from her cheer when Sasha agreed. After they hung up, Sasha couldn’t wipe the grin off her face for an hour.

“You look so great, Sash! I’ve only gotten to see you on RAW for months now! I know this is a screen too, but you can’t talk back to me when I’m cheering for you on RAW!”

Sasha looks down shyly, a goofy grin overtaking her face, “You’re cheering for me? What about Becky or Charlotte?”

Bayley scoffs, “Pfft. Ahh, who cares about them? I gotta throw all my support behind The Boss and Team B.A.D.”

Sasha looks back up at Bayley’s image, grinning and shaking her head in wonder, “You’re ridiculous. I know you support them too.”

Bayley shrugs, “Well, I guess I gotta support ALL of my girls equally.”

A hot blush graces Sasha’s face at indirectly being referred to as Bayley’s girl. She glances off to the side momentarily, trying to disguise her embarrassment from Bayley.

“Well,” Sasha mutters, “I hope you still cheer for me when I kick their asses.”

Bayley winks, “I cheer the loudest then.”

Sasha manages to keep herself together enough to respond, “You cheer for me the loudest? Does that mean someone likes me the most?”

A soft grin appears on Bayley’s face, “Maybe someone does. Maybe your someone’s favorite WWE superstar.”

Sasha gets even more flustered at the implication that she is Bayley’s favorite. She can’t stop herself from thinking, ‘Is Bayley flirting with me? Does this mean something?’ After the thought, Sasha immediately scolds herself. She can’t let these thoughts into her head. She’s only setting herself up for disappointment.

Sasha tries to move the conversation on, “So, how was your week, Bay?”

Bayley smiles, “It was pretty good. As you can see—“

Bayley moves the phone for a second to show the NXT Women’s Championship.

“—I’m still taking care of my belt. Been teaming with Carmella a lot recently. We started traveling together too. Sharing rooms together to save money. She’s sooo cool, Sasha.”

An uncomfortable feeling appears in Sasha’s gut. There it is. Bayley’s already got her sights set on someone else. And, of course, she does. Sasha could never be an option in Bayley’s mind. Even though Bayley is kind enough to initiate a friendship between the girls, Bayley could never fall for someone who treated her like Sasha did.

It’s probably only a few months before Bayley wins Carmella over. Bayley is...perfect. Anyone would want to be with her. And it won’t be long before Carmella realizes what Sasha already knows. She could never find anyone else like Bayley.

And when she realizes that…Sasha’s weekly conversations with Bayley will slowly fade away to nothing. Bayley’s attention will shift to Carmella. Sasha frowns at the realization.

“Hey, Sash.”

Bayley’s voice draws Sasha out of her spiral, and she focuses back on the screen. Bayley is now looking at Sasha with a concerned frown on her face.

“You look upset. What’s wrong?”

Bayley’s concern is endearing, but Sasha can’t share the truth. Because then, Bayley would know how Sasha feels. And Sasha would lose her before Carmella even had the chance to take her away.

Sasha shakes her head, “Nothing’s wrong, Bay. I’m fine.”

Bayley looks at her critically, “Fine never really means fine.”

Sasha forces a smile on her face, “I’m good. I promise. I just...I wish I could see you.”

Bayley seems to soften at Sasha’s words, “I’m right here, Sash.”

Sasha looks up slightly, feeling tears sting her eyes. However, she’s quickly able to blink them back. God, she can’t cry in front of Bayley right now. She’s already embarrassing enough without sobbing over their first FaceTime call.

“Yeah, I know,” Sasha says weakly, “But I’m not there. I just wish I could see you. Like really see you.”

“I know,” Bayley replies sadly, “I want to see you too. I miss you, Sasha.”

“I miss you too, Bay.”

Bayley swipes at her eyes quickly, “Okay, don’t get me crying, Sash.”

Sasha grins, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

Bayley smiles back kindly, “Ah, ‘s alright. You’re a girl worth crying over.”

The words double Sasha’s nerves. The friendship between the women has intensified quickly in the few months they’ve been talking. Sasha can say honestly that Bayley is her best friend now, and the teasing between them is perfectly normal. But the implications behind Bayley’s words get Sasha hoping for things she shouldn’t be.

Sasha nervously replies, “You too. I mean- you’re also a girl worth crying for. If I cried, which I don’t by the way.”

Bayley grins, “Such a softie, Miss Banks. If only you were in hugging range right now.”

God, how Sasha wishes she was there right now. She’s gotten pathetic enough in these few months to ask Regal if she can be on the main roster and NXT at the same time. She received a swift and immediate denial on that front. Followed up by a strict conversation with Hunter about how she should be focusing all her attention on the main roster now.

“We’ll see each other soon, right?” Sasha questions hopefully.

Bayley seems to light up at Sasha’s words. She grins excitedly at Sasha. Then, she glances around the room suspiciously before turning back to her phone.

“You just reminded me,” Bayley says playfully, “I might have another reason for making our Wednesday call a FaceTime. Well, outside of just wanting to see your lovely face.”

Sasha blushes at the compliment but quickly refocuses on Bayley’s words.

“What’s the reason?”

“It’s supposed to be a secret, but Regal is giving all of us at NXT a couple weeks off for Christmas.”

Sasha smiles, “That’s great! At least one of us will be getting a break.”

“That’s not all!” Bayley exclaims, “We are also getting a pretty sweet Christmas bonus.”

“Oh, wow! Regal must be feeling really generous this year,” Sasha says, “That’s really great, Bayley. I’m happy for you.”

Bayley’s smile softens, “Aren’t you gonna ask me what I’m doing with my Christmas bonus?”

“Oh,” Sasha utters, “Of course. Bayley, what are you doing with your Christmas bonus?”

Instead of giving an answer, Bayley leans off-screen. Sasha hears papers shuffling before Bayley pops back into view.

“Well, I may have already spent it,” Bayley teases.

“What did you buy?”

Bayley holds up a sheet of paper, grinning widely.

Sasha stares at the screen with furrowed eyebrows, unable to make out the words on the paper.

“You bought...a piece of paper?”

Bayley laughs, “No, doofus. Here! Look!”

Bayley pushes the paper closes to the screen, and the words come into view. It’s a plane ticket. December 20th. One way. Orlando, FL to Minneapolis, MN.

“What’s in Minneapolis on December 20th?”

Bayley looks at Sasha, eyes soft and kind, “It’s not December 20th. Monday, December 21st. What are you doing that day, Sash?”

Sasha pursues her lips in thought, “It’s a Monday, so I’ll be at RAW. What does that have to do with anything?’

Bayley rolls her eyes with a laugh, “Sasha, pull out your schedule. Where is RAW going to be on December 21st?”

Sasha moves from the couch to grab her schedule for next month. She flips to December and scans through the dates. When she finds the day Bayley was asking about, the schedule slips out of her hand and hits the ground. Immediately, tears spring into her eyes.

She rushes back over to her phone and desperately gasps out, “You’re coming to RAW?”

A wide grin emerges on Bayley’s face as she nods eagerly, “I’m coming to RAW. To visit. To see you, Sash.”

“You’re really coming?”

“Yeah,” Bayley breathes, “Yeah, Sasha. I’m coming.”

Sasha laughs and points her finger sternly at the screen, “You better not be fucking with me right now, Bay.”

Bayley grins childishly back, “I would never!”

There’s a pause on the line for a moment as the two women look at each other. Seeing Bayley at this moment, knowing they’re seeing each other in person in just a few weeks, makes Sasha’s heart ache for Bayley even more. The anticipation of seeing Bayley does nothing to alleviate her longing. It only makes her want Bayley here more. Now.

“So, I’m really gonna see you soon, huh?” Sasha sighs, almost in wonder.

“Yeah,” Bayley grins, “And you better prepare yourself, Sasha. The second I’m close enough you’re getting the BIGGEST hug of your life.”

Sasha tries to stifle her growing smile, “I don’t like hugs.”

“Too bad! This is my first time at RAW, and I’m getting a hug from my favorite superstar!”

Sasha shakes her head, wide grin finally appearing, “Whatever you say, Bayley.”

Bayley just laughs in response as Sasha watches her. A thought pops into Sasha’s head, and she interrupts Bayley’s laughter to ask a question.

“Bay, how much of your bonus are you spending to come up to Minneapolis?”

The laughter from Bayley abruptly dies and is replaced with a guilty expression.

Bayley mumbles, “Allofitplussomeofmysavings..”

Sasha sighs, “Don’t mumble. Tell me how much.”

Bayley frowns, “The trip is my entire bonus plus a little bit of my savings.”

Sasha closes her eyes to stop tears from emerging again. Bayley is so kind that she is spending her entire bonus check and more just to come see Sasha for a few days. She’s doing all of that for Sasha. And the only thing Sasha will do is just be there. Bayley is so much more than Sasha could ever deserve.

Sasha shakes her head, “Bayley, you don’t need to do that.”

“Yes, I do! I already did.”

“I know I said I miss you,” Sasha relents, “And I do. But it’s just. You shouldn’t spend your entire bonus to make me feel better. That’s your money, Bay.”

“I know it’s my money,” Bayley responds fiercely, “And I spent it to see you. Not because you miss me, but because I miss you. I spent it to make ME feel better.”

Sasha softens, “You’re too good.”

Bayley smiles, “Gotta be good to a girl like you.”

‘I don’t deserve this,’ Sasha thinks, ‘I don’t deserve her.’

She wants Bayley so much. Sasha has never felt like this for another person before. And the more she talks to Bayley, the more intense her feelings become. Sasha is captivated by Bayley.

There isn’t a person in the world Sasha could ever want more.

But Bayley shouldn’t spend her bonus check to see Sasha. Not when Sasha is so undeserving of her. Not after everything Sasha did in NXT.

But looking at Bayley, so happy and excited to spend that money to see her, Sasha can’t tell her no.

And, just like always, Sasha is selfish.

 

X

 

The sound of a loud ringing awakes Bayley from her slumber. She groggily blinks for a few seconds, slowly becoming aware of her surroundings. When she realizes the sound is a phone call, she lets out a quiet groan. She remains still for a few more seconds, hoping whoever it is will get the message and hang up. Call back in the morning. But the blaring ringtone continues.

Bayley tiredly moves to answer the call but a weight on top of her prevents her from reaching the nightstand where her phone rests. Bayley looks down to see a familiar head of purple hair leaning up against her chest. Sasha has moved in the middle of the night to where she is now positioned half on top of Bayley. Her arms and legs haphazardly wrapped around the woman. Bayley smiles sleepily at the sight.

As the phone continues to blare, Bayley hears a tired sound coming from her friend. Bayley cards her fingers through Sasha’s hair gently to soothe her.

“Sash, can’t move. Gotta get the phone.”

The only answer is an angry huff. Sasha makes no move to release her grip on Bayley.

“Sash, come on. I’ll just tell whoever it is to go away, and we can go back to sleep.”

The phone goes silent for a moment, and Sasha groggily moves to bury her face in Bayley’s neck. She nuzzles into Bayley’s neck with a content sigh, knowing she can fall back to sleep in a few more moments.

Sasha’s peace is again interrupted by Bayley’s phone ringing.

A frustrated groan escapes Sasha as Bayley tries to move away again.

“Sash, you gotta let me go. Just a second. I’ll come right back.”

Whoever called quickly hangs up. Seconds later, the phone rings for the third time.

“Oh my God,” Sasha growls.

Instead of Bayley grabbing the phone, Sasha leans over her and snatches the phone from the nightstand. She quickly answers the phone with an angry scowl.

“Who the hell is this?”

“Sasha? This is Bayley’s phone?”

“I know it’s Bayley’s phone. Who the fuck is calling her at-,” Sasha glances at the time on the alarm clock on the nightstand, “-1:16 AM?”

“...It’s Carmella.”

Sasha’s scowl hardens further at the answer. Her jaw clenches, and she grinds her teeth.

“Why are you calling at 1 AM?”

“Can I talk to Bayley, please?”

“She can’t come to the phone right now.”

“Sasha,” Bayley scolds gently, “Give me the phone.”

Sasha growls and hands the phone to Bayley. Before speaking, Bayley glances down at the screen to see who’s calling. Spotting Carmella’s name, Bayley furrows her eyebrows.

“Hey, Mella. What’s going on?” Bayley asks sleepily.

Sasha huffs, annoyed at the interruption. And even more annoyed the interruption was coming via Carmella. And, even though Bayley promised to just hang up, she apparently now wants to speak to Carmella instead of cuddle with Sasha.

“Have you been drinking?”

Not able to clearly hear the other side of the conversation anymore, Sasha becomes significantly more agitated. Bayley suggesting that Carmella is calling her drunk at 1 AM does not help Sasha calm herself down at all. The implications behind Carmella deciding, out of everyone she knows, to drunk dial BAYLEY have Sasha on the defensive.

“Okay, okay. I believe you.”

So, Carmella wasn’t drinking. She wasn’t drinking, yet she still calls Bayley at 1 AM. What does she need to talk to Bayley about that is so urgent it couldn’t wait until morning? Doesn’t she know that Bayley was sleeping? With Sasha? Who does Carmella think she is, purposefully interrupting them right now?

“I miss you too, Mella,” Bayley answers with a laugh, “But it’s 1 AM. Could this not wait until the morning?”

Sasha growls quietly at the purpose of Carmella’s call. She called Bayley at 1 AM to says she misses her? This is not about to be a recurring call. Sasha won’t put up with her sleep being interrupted at 1 AM every night so some girl can fawn over Bayley. It’s time for this phone call to end.

“Bay,” Sasha pouts, “I’m tired.”

Bayley looks at Sasha and nods sympathetically.

“I promise we can talk more, alright? But Sasha wants to sleep, and I’m tired too. We can talk in the morning, okay?”

Sasha bitterly thinks, ‘Carmella just called Bayley, and she already wants to talk again in the morning? What is happening here? What game is she playing?’

“Yeah, I love you too. Night, Mella.”

Hearing those words from Bayley brings out the possessive side Sasha tries to stifle. Something dark inside Sasha is clawing at her mind, ‘Mine. Mine. Mine.’ The scowl on her face remains as Bayley hangs up the phone.

“What did she want?” Sasha asks bitterly.

Bayley stretches and yawns sleepily, “Dunno. Just said she misses me. Guess we’ll talk more in the morning.”

Sasha crosses her arms and scoffs, “Don’t know why she had to wake us up just to say that. It’s honestly rude.”

“I know, Sasha,” Bayley says gently, attempting to placate a clearly temperamental Sasha, “Let’s go back to sleep. She won’t call again.”

Sasha continues to grumble lowly while she settles herself back into Bayley’s side. Bayley’s arm comes under her and strokes gentle motions up and down Sasha’s back. Slowly, Sasha’s anger begins to melt away as Bayley’s touch coaxes her back to rest.

Sasha presses her nose further into Bayley’s neck as she falls back to sleep for the night.

No idea that this week will only bring more and more interruptions from Carmella.

 

X

 

Throughout her life, Carmella has always made friends fairly easily. She’s never had much of a struggle meeting new people or finding something to do on a weekend. But things with Bayley were different from the start.

Carmella’s friendship with Bayley was the easiest friendship of her life. The connection was instantaneous. There is just something about Bayley that is inherently disarming and infectious. From the first moment meeting her, Carmella had just wanted to know her better. And Bayley seemed just as enthusiastic about her. They bonded quickly.

In just a few weeks, they went from conversations in the hallways to basically living in each other’s apartments. All of their time was spent together. There was no one who could make Carmella laugh as hard as Bayley. It was easy to just smile around the girl.

And Carmella was in awe of her heart. Her kindness. Seeing Bayley with her young fans was like watching an angel in the flesh.

Carmella could relax around Bayley. Their friendship was easy. Comfortable. Safe. In a work environment filled with pain, bitterness, and jealousy, Bayley was a ray of sunshine.

They spent every day together.

Then, Carmella became the #1 contender to the NXT Women’s Championship. The title that Bayley held. And Carmella felt...devastated.

She was proud of herself. Happy. Excited for the opportunity. She had been waiting for this moment for years, and it had finally arrived. This was her shot. To prove her talent. Her worth. Her skill.

But to do that, she has to beat her best friend. Her friendship with Bayley wasn’t separate from the business anymore. Their friendship was intertwined with it. The business filled with hatred and acidity was now synonymous with their friendship.

As the thrill of the victory washed away, Carmella forced the smile to remain on her face in the ring. Forced herself to keep celebrating. But, on the inside, she was worried. Terrified. She wasn’t Bayley’s best friend anymore.

She was Bayley’s enemy.

She was the biggest threat to Bayley’s prize possession. The title that Bayley proudly carried everywhere that she went.

Surely, Bayley’s goodness had to end at some point. And this was going to be that point. Carmella’s victory had injected poison into their friendship. Poison that will kill them both.

It was over.

Carmella let those feelings wash over her in the ring as the cheering of the NXT crowd rang in her ears. The volume of the cheers slowly faded as the pounding in Carmella’s head increased. Tired of celebrating, Carmella fell to her knees, overwhelmed by all of her conflicting emotions.

Carmella looked up.

And there she was.

Bayley.

Holding her title. The one Bayley and Carmella will fight for in just a few weeks. And Carmella thinks, ‘It’s over.’

Bayley is out here to confront her. Tell her that hell will freeze over before Carmella takes that belt. That Bayley will run her over mercilessly for even thinking of getting in her way.

But.

Bayley points at her with a wide grin on her face. She squeals, “You did it!”

Then drags Carmella into a warm hug. Whispers, “I knew you could do it. I’m so proud of you,” into Carmella’s ear.

And Carmella relaxes. Every point of tension drains from her. Her senses center until the only thing Carmella can feel is Bayley.

So, she holds onto Bayley tight. So tight she thinks she might be cutting Bayley’s circulation off. But she can’t let go. She doesn’t want to let go. Bayley is her best friend.

In this dark business, where they are surrounded by so much hatred, Bayley is a light. A shining light. That Carmella knows she can hinge everything on.

At the beginning of their friendship, Carmella had tied her rope to Bayley. Said, ‘As long as I have this woman by my side, I can remain pure. This business won’t taint me. I can compete. And win. And celebrate. And be good. With this girl by my side.’

Because Bayley was a light. A light so bright that, as long as Carmella remained close, would drown out all of the darkness that would try to consume Carmella’s soul.

And that was true their entire tenure in NXT. Carmella stayed right by Bayley’s side. And all of Bayley’s optimism and kindness and goodness radiated onto Carmella. Seeped into her pores. Until Carmella was happy. And kind. And hopeful.

Until Carmella was good too.

Things were different when they were separated. Carmella to Smackdown. Bayley to Raw.

Bayley wasn’t there. Carmella didn’t have a place to tether her goodness. Her humanity. And, suddenly, it wasn’t Bayley’s light seeping into her skin. It was the darkness of the business. It consumed Carmella. Changed Carmella.

And it took a lot of time for Carmella to drain that poison from her veins. To slowly suck it out. Until she felt bright again. Until she found her own light inside of her.

Carmella has to work for it though.

Carmella has to work for what Bayley just is. The purity Bayley just intrinsically radiates Carmella has to manufacture inside herself. It pours off Bayley in waves, and Carmella has to work up a sweat just to have enough to survive.

Things are so much easier with Bayley by her side.

Carmella misses Bayley so much.

 

X

 

Natalya sits backstage watching Sasha, Bayley, and Ember compete in a tag match for that night. The three women had left their phones with Natalya while going out to compete.

While watching, a smile crosses Natalya’s face as she observes the teamwork between Bayley and Sasha. The two have clearly been training together to improve their tag team work over the past months. Natalya has heard the murmurs backstage about women’s tag titles being in the work, and she knows Bayley and Sasha have heard the same rumors spreading.

Natalya is intrigued by the possibility of the belts, but she knows that Bayley and Sasha will be gunning for them. Heavily.

As the girls secure their victory, Natalya slips her phone out of her pocket. Her friends celebrate in the ring together before coming backstage excitedly. Ember purposefully splits off from them quickly, but Sasha and Bayley stayed glued together. Bayley has Sasha’s hand firmly grasped in her own as the two women seem lost in excited conversation.

Natalya sends Carmella a text, and a few moments later Natalya hears Bayley’s phone ringing in her hand.

“Bayley! Phone’s ringing,” Natalya says loudly to grab Bayley’s attention.

Bayley glances away from Sasha, “Who’s calling?”

“Carmella.”

Natalya subtly observes Sasha. Her posture immediately shifts upon hearing Carmella’s name. Unconsciously, she slides her hand out of Bayley’s and steps back from the woman. Bayley nods with an appreciative smile, leaving Sasha’s side to grab her phone from Natalya.

“Hey, Mella! What’s up?”

The grin on Bayley’s face holds as she listens to Carmella. Sasha is watching the call with a stoic expression.

“You were watching? That’s awesome!”

A frown appears on Sasha’s face at the words from Bayley.

“Aww, thanks! Yeah, it seems like no matter how many times we beat The Riott Squad, they keep coming back at us.”

Natalya watches as Sasha begins to tap her foot impatiently. Sasha’s arms cross in front of her.

“Yeah, I wish you were here to help too! It seems like we barely have any friends on RAW anymore.”

Sasha’s face drops into a deep scowl at Carmella’s apparent desire to be on RAW, and Bayley’s admission that she wishes Carmella was here.

“How’s Smackdown going, Mella? Everything alright over on your front?”

Bayley nods as she listens to Carmella apparently update her on the Smackdown happenings. Natalya looks back at Sasha, notices her scowl still present.

“That’s great! Yeah, I’ll be over there with Finn tomorrow. Our qualifying match for the finals is then. We can definitely hang out.”

Sasha’s eyes roll heavily, and she moves to stand beside Bayley. Just like Natalya has seen her do before, Sasha wordlessly nudges her hand against Bayley’s. Bayley looks down at Sasha with a smile before returning her attention to Carmella.

“No way,” Bayley laughs, “You got me a ‘Mella is money’ shirt? That’s amazing. We’re definitely matching tomorrow.”

Natalya hears an irritated huff from Sasha. Again, Sasha nudges her hand against Bayley’s.  
Bayley gives Sasha a quick nod of acknowledgment but no other response. Sasha seems to have turned her glare on the phone itself.

“Okay, deal. I’ll bring my jacket for you, and I’ll wear your merch shirt. And yeah, we’re definitely posting it to Instagram.”

At the mention of Carmella wearing Bayley’s jacket, Sasha’s eyes flash. Natalya wouldn’t be surprised if steam didn’t start rolling off Sasha in waves soon. Deciding to stir up some trouble, Natalya sends a quick text to Alexa for help.

Bayley and Carmella’s conversation continues as Natalya waits for Alexa to reach gorilla. In the meantime, Sasha’s frustration continues to grow. Her anger seemed to wane for a moment as Bayley had finally responded to Sasha’s continual nudges by grabbing her hand. But that didn’t last for long. Sasha’s frustration rose again when she realized that Carmella had shifted the conversation to reminiscing about their NXT days.

Finally, Natalya spots Alexa wandering their way. As Alexa strolls by casually, a golden opportunity seems to present itself to them. Bayley mentions Carmella by name, giving Alexa an in to the conversation.

“Yeah, Mella,” Bayley laughs, “That’s still so funny.”

Alexa walks right by and looks at Bayley with a faux touched face, “Awww, are you talking to your little girlfriend on Smackdown?”

Bayley pauses in her conversation to glare at Carmella.

Natalya stifles a smile as Sasha steps directly into Alexa’s face.

“Mind your business, Bliss.”

Alexa smiles at Sasha sarcastically.

She leans around the woman to look at Bayley, “Your girlfriend know you got a guard dog here to protect you?”

“What the fuck did you just call me?” Sasha snarls.

Bayley’s hand moves to grip Sasha’s arm, preventing her from moving closer to Alexa. Natalya raises her eyebrows at the scene which escalated much quicker than she expected. Seems Sasha is taking some of her previous frustration out on Alexa.

“Poor Sasha,” Alexa pouts, “Protecting Bayley now just so she can crawl into Carmella’s bed tomorrow night.”

Sasha leaps forward at Alexa, only prevented from attacking her by Bayley who had moved to pull Sasha back by the waist the second Alexa had stopped speaking. The phone had been thoughtlessly dropped in the midst of the confrontation.

“You don’t know shit, you stupid bitch! Bayley, let me go now!” Sasha growls.

Sasha continues yelling at Alexa as Bayley began to silently pull her away. Sasha keeps struggling to break out of Bayley’s grip to no avail.

“Are you mad, because I’m insulting Bayley? Or, are you mad because you know that Carmella could steal your girl away from you any time she wants?”

Sasha lunges forward at the words from Alexa. Bayley’s grip just barely prevents Sasha from breaking loose from the hold.

Natalya holds her breath, anticipation filling her. Sasha’s eyes look wild. Carmella and Alexa have done it right now. They actually pulled this off.

Alexa laughs meanly, “Yeah, it’s the second one. What I thought. Absolutely pathetic, Banks.”

Sasha looks ready to jump after Alexa again but seems to startle suddenly. Her eyes widen, and she looks back at Bayley behind her. Her eyes flit, almost nervously, between Bayley and Alexa. Natalya watches as Sasha’s eyes close, and she takes in several tight breaths.

“Let’s go, Bay,” Sasha says, voice tense and coiled.

Without another word or look at the women, Sasha breaks Bayley’s waning hold and stomps off in the opposite direction. Bayley stares for a moment before quickly grabbing her dropped phone and jogging off after Sasha.

Natalya watches, disappointed, as both disappear out of sight.

“Well,” Alexa hums, “That went well.”

Natalya sighs, shaking her head, “Thanks for coming, Lex.”

Alexa nods, “You texted so....”

The two women look at each other awkwardly for a moment, unused to the almost friendly air between them. The silence lingers until Alexa huffs out a ‘bye,’ and trudges away backstage. Natalya stares after her, eyebrows furrowed. Natalya doubts she will ever understand that woman.

 

X

 

Sasha paces back and forth at the Minneapolis airport terminal. She glances around, scanning the crowd for Bayley fruitlessly. Her thoughts are racing at a hundred miles per hour. This is the first time she’ll see Bayley since they have become friends. Sasha has never been more nervous.

What if she says or does something to screw this up?

What if Bayley notices how Sasha feels? And Sasha has to watch the utter disgust cross Bayley’s face at the knowledge?

What if Bayley walks up and announces her new relationship with Carmella? How could Sasha force a smile on her face and congratulate Bayley when all she would really want to do is cry?

Sasha’s nervous pacing is renewed, and she has to stop herself from biting her fingernails. She broke that habit a while back and won’t let her current dilemma bring it back. Sasha slips her phone out of her pocket, glancing at the time.

2:47 PM.

Bayley’s flight was supposed to land at 2:30 PM.

What if something happened to her?

Sasha should go talk to the front desk. Bayley should be here already. She’s supposed to have landed by now, and Sasha doesn’t see anything saying Bayley’s flight has been delayed.

“SASHA!”

The yelling of her name startles Sasha, and she turns to face the voice as a body collides with her own. The impact almost knocks them both over, but Sasha is able to steady herself at the last moment.

Sasha tenses at the physical contact until she hears a soft, “Hi,” muttered into her hair. Bayley’s voice washes over her, and Sasha immediately relaxes into the embrace. Without thinking, Sasha’s arms move to wrap around Bayley’s neck, gently moving to nuzzle her head under Bayley’s chin.

She sighs at the contact, a feeling of total content sweeps over her. This is how it feels to be in Bayley’s arms. How it feels for Bayley to hold her close. It’s...better than Sasha had imagined. Better than Sasha’s dreams.

Sasha hears a chuckle against her ear and holds back a shiver at Bayley’s hot breath.

“You gonna say hi or just hug me forever?”

Sasha freezes and a deep blush graces her features. Immediately, Sasha jerks out of the embrace, gaze shooting to her feet.

Forcing herself to look up at Bayley, Sasha nervously says, “Hi, Bay.”

Another beautiful laugh leaves Bayley, and she grins, “That’s more like it. Now, c’mere. I wasn’t done with the hug yet.”

A gentle grip on Sasha’s wrist tugs her back into Bayley’s arms.

A happy smile crosses Sasha’s face as she snuggles further into Bayley. Bayley’s hand rubs up and down Sasha’s back, and Sasha’s eyes close at the feeling. The embrace lasts for a few more seconds before Bayley pulls back from the hug.

The two look at each other for a moment.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Sasha breathes.

“My bank balance definitely isn’t happy I am,” Bayley quips lightly.

Sasha rolls her eyes, “I was trying to be nice. You know, that doesn’t happen too often.”

Bayley laughs and picks her bag up from the spot on the floor where she dropped it in her haste to reach Sasha. She slings her bag over her back, then wraps an arm around Sasha’s shoulder. Sasha looks at the arm draped around her with a grin.

“Ahh, don’t pull out The Boss on me. I’m not here as your greatest wrestling rival,” Bayley smirks, tugging her toward the airport exit.

“Oh,” Sasha raises her eyebrows challengingly, “My greatest rival, huh?”

Bayley looks at her playfully, “Well, I did beat you twice for MY title, right?”

A faux scowl appears on Sasha’s face, “Lucky wins.”

“Both of them?”

Sasha grins, “Yep. Both of them.”

Bayley lifts an eyebrow, “Is that a challenge Miss Banks?”

The two cross through the exit in the midst of their conversation. Sasha tugs Bayley toward the Uber that had driven her over here, and the two pile into the backseat of the car. Sasha directs the driver back to her hotel, and the car moves into Minneapolis traffic.

Bayley turns to Sasha, “So...is that a challenge?”

Sasha shrugs her shoulders, “I don’t know.”

Sasha thinks for a moment before building up the courage to test the waters a bit.

“That belt does look really good on you. Might be a shame for me to take it off you now.”

Bayley looks at Sasha with an inscrutable expression before a burst of laughter leaves her.

“You’re a funny one, Sash,” Bayley says through her laughter.

Sasha frowns, confused by the abrupt fit of laughter, “What’s so funny?”

Bayley wipes a tear away as her laughter finally dies out, “What you said! It’s just funny.”

“How?”

Bayley smiles at her, “You said it like taking the belt off me to put on you would be some kind of downgrade. I mean, it’s just hilarious. Have you seen you?”

Sasha’s face scrunches, “What are you talking about?”

“Sash,” Bayley laughs, “You’re basically the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. Putting any belt on you would be a major upgrade beauty-wise.”

Sasha’s eyes widen at Bayley’s words. A small, embarrassed grin creeps onto her face, and her eyes shift to look at her feet. Her heart feels as if it’s going to burst out of her chest at any moment. Bayley thinks...she thinks Sasha is pretty. The prettiest woman Bayley has ever seen.

“You...um...I-thanks,” Sasha mutters, smile still wide and bright.

Bayley grins and pokes Sasha’s cheek, “See. Adorable.”

The Uber pulls up to their hotel. Bayley gets out of the car first, holding the door open for Sasha to exit. As Sasha begins to rise, Bayley holds her hand out with a smile. Sasha grabs her hand and pulls herself out of the Uber.

Bayley stays with Sasha until she heads out on the road again Wednesday morning. Every moment with Bayley over those three days is...magical.

Bayley is bright and goofy and charming. Kind and caring and thoughtful. Silly and fun and smart.

But mostly, Bayley is sweet. She’s so sweet to Sasha. In every single way Sasha doesn’t deserve.

That trip is the first time Bayley and Sasha ever got to spend real quality time together.

If Sasha thought she was in love before this trip, she doesn’t even know how to explain how far gone she is for Bayley now.

Bayley is more perfect than Sasha could have imagined.

When Sasha is getting ready to leave, Bayley argues with her until she is allowed to carry all of Sasha’s bags to her rental car. She loads the bags into Sasha’s car as Sasha complains about how she could have done all of this herself. Bayley just laughs and sticks her tongue out at her.

They share a long hug before they reluctantly pull apart and say their goodbyes. They schedule their next FaceTime, and Sasha promises to call as soon as she reaches her next hotel.

As Sasha drives away, she sighs. After spending that time with Bayley, she misses her immediately more than she ever has before. What was once an ache now feels like a gunshot through the heart. The longing in Sasha’s chest now feels almost unbearable.

Sasha barely stops herself from turning the car around and going back.

 

X

 

The girls continue their plan throughout the week. Carmella barrages Bayley with constant texts and calls, all of which Bayley responds to quickly. As the week continues, everyone backstage begins to notice the increasing hostility and moodiness of Sasha. The woman, whose attitude had settled since Bayley’s arrival to the roster, has almost returned to the heights of her previous moodiness.

Natalya, Ember, and Alexa have witnessed several temperamental fits from Sasha at situations that are, at best, minor inconveniences. The worst example of this was Sasha screaming at her makeup artist and threatening to fire her for the crime of poking Sasha in the eye with a mascara wand. This occurred directly after Bayley had walked off giggling with Carmella on FaceTime.

As the RAW women relayed the details of Sasha’s escalating temper to the women of Smackdown, the girls became increasingly certain that Sasha would break soon. It couldn’t possibly be more than a couple days before Carmella pushes Sasha past her breaking point. Natalya watches with bated breath any time she hears Bayley’s phone go off throughout the week.

However, each time, a final explosion from Sasha is barely avoided. Her self-control is much greater than Natalya could have ever anticipated. Just as it seems as if Sasha will combust, she seems to snap herself out of it. They get so close each time, but not close enough.

However, Natalya has hope. Because, each time, they get a little closer. And Sasha can’t hold on forever. Tonight, Natalya has told Carmella to lay it on extremely thick. To get on FaceTime, where Sasha will be able to hear her, and crank the flirting up as far as she is willing to go.

Carmella agrees.

It’s the Saturday night before TLC, and the RAW roster is putting on a WWE Live show. Sasha and Bayley, not booked for TLC tomorrow, have already prepared separate flights back to their cities. Both are planning to rest up at home before flying to the next city for RAW on Monday.

However, despite not being booked for TLC, the two women have at tag match that night. Natalya patiently waits until Sasha and Bayley win their match and wander back into the locker room to pack their bags for the night. Then, she sends the text to Carmella.

Sasha is pulling her final items out of her locker when Bayley’s phone ring. When Bayley answers the FaceTime call and a distinct squeal from Carmella rings out through the locker room, Sasha slams her locker harshly. Bayley and Natalya jump at the loud clammer, and Bayley looks at Sasha worriedly.

Before she can question Sasha’s action, Carmella calls out to draw Bayley’s attention back to her. Natalya watches Sasha’s frustration mount as Bayley ignores her outburst. She closes her eyes tightly, nostrils flaring in anger.

Sasha roughly stuffs the rest of her clothes into her bag then turns to stare at Bayley impatiently, ready to leave for the night. Natalya stifles a grin at Sasha’s silent temper tantrum going unnoticed as Bayley continues to happily chat with Carmella, oblivious to the climbing tension.

At that moment, Natalya listens in to the conversation between her two friends.

“Yeah,” Carmella laughs, “God, we were so fucking poor in those days.”

Bayley grins, “We couldn’t afford anything. The guys in NXT are paid so much more now! It’s completely unfair!”

“Right? We couldn’t even afford two-bed hotel rooms when we were on the road!”

Bayley’s eyes widen in recognition, “I know! And we stayed in the worst hotels in the world!”

“You remember that one time we were on the road in the winter, and the heater in our shitty hotel room was broken?”

Bayley giggles, “I totally forgot about that! God, we were freezing the entire night! I put on like 10 shirts, I swear.”

There’s a distinct hesitation from Carmella for a moment before she continues.

Carmella lifts her eyebrow teasingly, “Honestly, I was two seconds away from suggesting we get naked and spoon to conserve warmth.”

Natalya’s eyes widen at the blunt suggestiveness of her words. Immediately, she shoots her gaze over to Sasha.

‘Oh shit,’ Natalya thinks.

Bayley’s scandalized, “Mella!” is interrupted by an irate Sasha.

“Bayley, get off the phone! I want to leave.”

Bayley turns to Sasha with a confused, wounded look.

Sasha glares insistently, “Any day now, Bay.”

“Give me just a sec, Sash. When I finish talking to Mella, we can take our things to the car, and I’ll drive us to the hotel. I know you’re tired.”

Satisfied by her statement, Bayley turns her attention back to Carmella. Natalya grimaces, knowing that was the exact wrong move.

“No, I don’t have a second,” Sasha snaps, “I’m exhausted after OUR match. You’ve been talking to Carmella every single day for the past week. I’m sure her fragile heart can handle the ten-minute drive back to our room.”

The words draw Bayley’s attention back to Sasha, “Sasha, just let me say bye, and we can leave. Alright?”

“No,” Sasha yells, “Not okay! Carmella has probably been laid out in her room all day! I’m tired, my back is fucking killing me, and I. Want. To. Go. To. Sleep.”

“Sash, what is going on? Why are you this upset?”

“I’m not upset,” Sasha yells, pointing directly at Bayley’s phone, “I’m just sick of listening to Carmella giggle at you over the phone every second of my life. It’s disgusting. What- Is she so pathetic that she doesn’t have a single friend on Smackdown to talk to?”

Bayley stiffens at Sasha’s words.

Stoically, she turns back to her phone, “Mella, I’m sorry. We can talk later.”

Bayley hangs the phone up and turns to face to a fuming Sasha.

“This is not like you,” Bayley firmly declares, “You do not get to talk about someone I care about that way.”

Natalya watches worriedly as Sasha’s fists clench tightly by her sides. Both of the women are breathing heavily, shooting fierce glares at each other.

Sasha spits out, “Oh, yeah? Well, if you care about her so much, then why are you even here? Why don’t you just go ask Hunter to be moved to Smackdown?”

Frustration mounting, Bayley’s throws her hands in the air, “What are you even talking about? Are you serious right now? I don’t want to be moved to Smackdown!”

“You haven’t been acting like it. Oh, Mella. I miss you so much,” Sasha haughtily mocks, “I wish you were here. Our NXT days were so great. I wish I could go back to those days when I never fucking saw Sasha!”

Bayley rolls her eyes, “You’re being ridiculous.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry for thinking it’s ridiculous to have to listen to you wish yourself back to the time where we spent months apart.”

“I’m not wishing myself back there,” Bayley shouts, “You’re just putting words in my mouth! I have never asked to be separated from you!”

The assurance from Bayley does nothing to temper Sasha’s anger. Hastily, she snatches her bag from the floor and roughly throws it over her shoulder. The sudden weight on her back causes Sasha to flinch momentarily. The noticeable wince is immediately picked up by Bayley, and her face morphs into one of concern.

Schooling her expression to mask pain, Sasha sneers, “Sometimes it’s not what you say but how you say it. And you’ve made it perfectly clear that you’d rather be with Carmella than with me. We’ve barely spoken this week. You’ve spent every second talking to her!”

“Why does it always come back to this?” Bayley asks desperately, “Why is it always a choice? Why does Carmella bother you so much, Sasha?”

Natalya braces herself. This might finally be the moment.

“God, you’re so fucking blind,” Sasha shouts, eyes crazed.

“What do you mean? Stop beating around the bush, and just tell me what your problem is,” Bayley begs, “Why do you always get so angry around Carmella?”

“Maybe I get so angry because I’m fucking in l-”

Sasha’s mouth snaps shut instantly, and her eyes widen. She steps back from Bayley and refuses to make eye contact with her. Natalya stands in the corner of the room, going completely unnoticed by the two other occupants of the locker room.

Bayley’s face scrunches in confusion, “You’re what?”

Sasha stares determinedly at the floor, silently refusing to answer.

“Sasha,” Bayley growls.

Sasha looks up at Bayley, tears stinging her eyes, “I’m going back to our room. I don’t want to fight about this anymore.”

Before Bayley can reply, Sasha storms out of the room. The door slams shut behind her. It’s barely a second before Bayley yanks her bag over her shoulder and sprints out of the room in pursuit of Sasha.

Natalya follows them into the hallway and catches sight of Bayley just before she rounds the corner and disappears.

That night, Natalya sends dozens of text to each girl. Neither responds.

 

X

 

The night before Battleground finds Bayley and Sasha sharing a hotel room in D.C. The two best friends had reunited that morning and both have been giddy the entire day. They are unbelievably excited about Bayley’s main roster debut. The excitement is amplified by the backstage knowledge that RAW will be drafting Bayley to their brand in little more than a month.

After so much time, Bayley is finally going to be by Sasha’s side. And not only for this match, but, starting in August, always. Permanently. At least, for the foreseeable future. And that was more than Sasha could have hoped for throughout the past year.

Sasha’s first year on the main roster has been the best and worst year of her life. Being able to fully live her dream has made every moment feel larger than life. Sasha was in awe every time she came out on RAW or Smackdown. In awe of all the people she met and worked with backstage. It was the most amazing experience of her life.

And this year...Sasha found Bayley. She fell in love with Bayley. She got to talk to Bayley more days than not. Got to hear countless ‘I love you’s’ and ‘I miss you’s’ from the woman of her dreams. Albeit, not in the way Sasha dreamed Bayley would say them. But in a way that was almost enough.

The only part of this year that would qualify as the worst year of Sasha’s life was the pain of being separated from Bayley. As the year passed, Bayley and Sasha only grew closer. Sasha fell more in love with her every day. And, as her feelings grew, being apart from Bayley for months on end became almost unbearable.

The stinging pain of separation was only made worse by the presence of Carmella in Bayley’s life. It seemed as if every second Bayley wasn’t on the phone with Sasha, she was off somewhere with Carmella. And watching and hearing about Bayley being so happy with someone who has never hurt her like Sasha has...it stung. Every moment Sasha wished she was with Bayley was a moment Bayley was with Carmella.

But all of that would be over soon. And it starts tonight.

When Sasha arrives in D.C., Bayley and she spend the entire day together. She has never seen Bayley so happy, and it warms something up inside her heart. Makes Sasha feel happier and lighter too. She’s so proud for Bayley to be joining her tonight.

And, that night, their match goes off flawlessly. Working side-by-side with Bayley, as her teammate, is immeasurably better than being her opponent. And when they win? That has to be one of the greatest moments of Sasha’s life.

They ride the high all the way back to their shared hotel room. Hours after the match ended, the exhaustion settles in as the adrenaline leaves their system.

Sasha is watching as Bayley wipes her makeup off in the mirror. Bayley is quietly chatting about something to her, but Sasha can’t stop staring.

How is this her life right now?

She can’t help herself.

“Why did you forgive me?”

The unexpected question cuts Bayley off in the middle of a sentence. The room falls into silence for a moment as Bayley seems startled from the interruption. Bayley turns to look at Sasha questioningly.

“What do you mean?”

“After everything I did, you forgave me. I was cruel and vicious and ruthless for months, but you forgave me anyway. Then, you spent your entire Christmas bonus to see me. And, now, you came all the way here just to be my tag partner. To help me get a shot at the Raw Women’s Championship. Why?”

Bayley looks at Sasha for a long moment, gaze soft.

“You apologized,” she says, as if it’s the simplest answer in the world, “You apologized, and you meant it.”

Tears well up in Sasha’s eyes, and she chokes out, “How was that enough?”

“Maybe it wasn’t at first,” Bayley answers thoughtfully, “But, as we kept talking. I don’t know. I-”

Bayley pauses for a moment as she seems to struggle with an answer.

“There are so many things in this world that I don’t understand. Things that I can’t learn. Things I don’t have the time to learn or don’t care enough to learn. There isn’t a lot in my life that makes sense. But you do.”

Bayley looks thoughtful.

“Maybe that’s why it’s so easy for me to forgive you. Because you just make sense to me, Sash. You’re my best friend. I love you. And all of that? All of us? It makes sense. So, I forgave you. I forgive you.”

A few tears escape Sasha’s eyes and slips down her face, “I don’t deserve you.”

Bayley moves over to her and tugs Sasha into her arms, “You didn’t then. But that was the past. People can change. At one moment, they didn’t deserve something. At another moment, maybe they’ve become so amazing that thing doesn’t deserve them. Sasha, you’ve changed.”

Sasha nods shakily into Bayley’s neck. She tries to pull out of the embrace, but Bayley doesn’t let go.

That is the first night Sasha falls asleep in Bayley’s arms.

It is not the last.

 

X

 

When R-Truth and Carmella get backstage after their victory at TLC, R-Truth picks Carmella up and spins her around. Carmella laughs happily, almost high off their victory. And the significance of the win.

Carmella is going to be #30 in the Royal Rumble.

This is her shot. Her chance to win back the title.

Her shot to head to the main event of Wrestlemania.

She couldn’t have even dreamed of something this amazing when she started at NXT in 2013.

After saying goodbye to Truth, she walks around backstage in a gleeful daze. She stops momentarily to chat with the people who congratulate her before finally wandering into the women’s locker room.

The locker room is empty except for one person.

Carmella looks closely.

What is...Sasha doing here?

Oh shit.

Panic swirls in Carmella’s mind. She’s dead. Sasha is not booked for this pay-per-view, which means there is only one reason for Sasha to be here. She is going to kill her. And there are no witnesses in the room to even testify against Sasha in court. Carmella is going to die, and her death will go unavenged.

Sasha walks toward Carmella quietly, until she is standing directly in front of her. She looks at her, face impassive and carefully blank.

“Um...hi, Sasha,” Carmella chuckles out nervously, “What brings you here?”

Carmella watches as she takes a deep breath, gaze never leaving Carmella.

Carmella swallows tightly, “Um… Sasha...What’s going on?”

“You’re in love with her,” Sasha states, tone certain.

“I’m...in what with who now?”

“Bayley,” Sasha answers firmly, “You’re in love with her. I know. I’ve known since NXT.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Carmella asks in bewilderment.

Sasha rolls her eyes, “You don’t have to pretend, alright? Bayley’s not here. And I’m not going to tell her.”

“Sasha,” Carmella says carefully, “I’m...not pretending anything.”

Carmella’s mind is racing through a million thoughts. A million explanations as to how this conversation could possibly be occurring right now. Why Sasha would come all the way out here, to a pay-per-view that she was not even booked for, to tell her that Carmella is in love with Bayley? Carmella pinches herself. Nope, she’s not having some kind of weird nightmare. This is really happening.

A scoff from Sasha interrupts Carmella’s thoughts, “You clearly are. Look, this conversation would be a whole lot easier if you would just go ahead and admit it.”

There’s a pause in the room for a moment. The silence echoes around the locker room. Sasha seems to grow angrier as Carmella doesn’t respond.

Trying to keep a gentle tone, Carmella asks, “Sasha, what is going on?”

“Just tell me,” Sasha says, tone becoming slightly more insistent, “You’re in love with her. Just admit it.”

“I’m not in love with Bayley. We are just friends.”

Sasha shakes her head, “No. You have been texting her every second. Calling her every day. I can’t get a moment alone with her anymore. You’re clearly in love with her. It’s obvious. And you have been for a long time.”

Carmella hesitates, “Sasha...I’m not. It’s really not like that at all.”

The more Carmella denies this, the more agitated Sasha seems to get. Carmella had noticed Sasha’s tense posture since she approached her, and she has only grown tenser as the conversation went on. Carmella feels like she’s attempting to defuse a bomb but cutting all the wrong wires.

“Fine. Whatever. Don’t admit it. I don’t care.”

Carmella thinks, ‘That’s clearly a lie.’

“I didn’t come here to get you to admit that you’re in love with Bayley,” Sasha says, “I’m here to tell you not to hurt her.”

“What?” Carmella asks, shocked.

Sasha rambles on, “Look, I’ve known since NXT that this was coming one day. The entire time you two were down there alone, I was just waiting for Bayley to call and say you guys were together. When Bayley was pulled up to RAW and nothing had happened, I thought that maybe I was wrong. But this past week has proven to me that I was right all along.”

Carmella stays silent, too overwhelmed by Sasha’s tirade to formulate a response.

“But, I just...If it’s not m-” Sasha closes her eyes tightly for a moment and clenches her jaw, “You need to treat her right. Take care of her. She um--She’s not a morning person, so she likes to go back to sleep again after she wakes up. But she won’t set her alarm early enough to do that. So you have to wake her up an hour before her alarm and let her fall back asleep. Otherwise, she’s going to be grumpy the entire day. After matches, she won’t ever tell you if she’s hurt. But whenever she’s hurt, she’ll chew on her thumbnail. So if you see her doing that, then just get her an ice pack. When she’s sick, she always wants this specific soup that her grandma made for her when she was a kid. I can text you the recipe so you can-”

“Sasha,” Carmella interjects.

“-make it for her. She likes the window seat on planes. And her phone charger is always frayed, so you need to have an extra one for her in case hers stops working-”

“Sasha,” Carmella interrupts firmly.

Carmella notices tears in the corner of Sasha’s eyes, and she begins to panic.

“She always pushes herself too hard. And when she gets off days, she will keep trying to rush around to the point of exhaustion. So you have to make sure she gets her rest.”

Sasha is getting choked up at this point. Carmella has to put a stop to this before the poor woman breaks down.

“And Bayley wants to take care of everyone around her. And it seems ridiculous, but sometimes you just have to let her. Because it makes her happy to feel like she’s needed-”

“SASHA!”

Finally, Sasha falls silent.

Carmella breathes heavily, thrown off guard by Sasha’s rant. Carmella can’t believe that she...that Sasha knows all of that. That she pays that much attention to Bayley. Carmella doesn’t know that much about anyone.

But Sasha.

She.

Wow.

“You’re in love with her,” Carmella calmly asserts.

At the words, Sasha suddenly looks like a cornered animal. Panic appears in her eyes, and she looks frantically around the room. Probably for an escape. But Carmella is standing in front of the door. Sasha can’t leave.

Sasha spits out, “You’re projecting. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Carmella sighs sadly, “Sasha, it’s okay. I know.”

Sasha’s eyes flash angrily, “You don’t know anything about me.”

Carmella smiles and shakes her head, “I know more than you might think. Bayley talks about you all of the time.”

Sasha stays quiet. Carmella notices her posture relax slightly at the mention of Bayley.

“She’s always talked about you. Since NXT.”

Sasha interrupts abruptly, “Okay, so what does that have to do with anything?”

Carmella looks at Sasha insistently, “It means I know enough about you to see the truth. You’re in love with Bayley, Sasha.”

Sasha snaps, “Stop saying that!”

“Look, just,” Carmella sighs, “I hated you for a really long time, okay? For how you treated Bayley. I thought you were terrible for Bayley. The worst person for her in the entire world. You were a bitch. And you didn’t deserve her.”

Sasha’s posture is completely rigid and unmoving. She’s glaring defiantly at Carmella, chin lifted. Her breathing is quick and angry. Carmella thinks Sasha is only seconds from punching her in the face.

“But,” Carmella takes another breath, “You make Bayley happy. So happy. When we were in NXT, she would have some bad days. But the second you called her, it was like her mood would do a complete 180. She even had this specific smile that I would call the Sasha smile.”

Sasha focuses her eyes on a locker to her side, carefully avoiding looking at Carmella.

“I didn’t trust you,” Carmella states plainly.

Carmella sees Sasha grinding her teeth in frustration, but she keeps quiet. Her glare on the locker is so harsh Carmella is waiting for lasers to shoot out of Sasha’s eyes and eviscerate the poor locker.

“But,” Carmella continues, “It doesn’t matter what I thought. Bayley trusted you. She grew to trust you.”

Sasha’s eyes close. A shaky breath escapes her.

“I was there, y’know? When you called her? I heard a lot,” Carmella admits.

Sasha’s eyes open. Her eyes meet Carmella’s, gaze guarded but attentive. Carmella softens her stare, trying to get Sasha to relax.

“The things I heard then? The things I just heard now? Sasha, I know you’re in love with her.”

Sasha opens her mouth to interrupt Carmella again, probably to deny her feelings. Carmella barrels on though, refusing to let Sasha get in a word yet.

“You didn’t deserve her then...but I think you might deserve her now.”

The room is silent. Sasha’s mouth closes and her eyes have shifted to look at her feet. Slowly, her arms unfold and drop to hang by her sides. The silence hangs over the room for a long moment, Carmella giving Sasha a moment to absorb her words.

“She doesn’t want me,” Sasha mutters, voice so quiet Carmella almost couldn’t hear her.

Carmella looks at Sasha, eyes sympathetic and sad. This woman. She really has no idea.

“Did she tell you that?”

“No.”

Carmella sighs, “How do you know that then?”

“I just...I know, alright? I know,” Sasha answers shakily.

Carmella stares at Sasha. As much as Carmella wants to keep pushing, she isn’t close enough to Sasha to have this conversation with her. She won’t believe a word Carmella says to her. And Sasha looks as if she’s seconds from breaking down. Carmella steps to the side, moving from the doorway.

Hearing the movement, Sasha’s eyes shift to the door.

Sasha glances at Carmella, “I didn’t come here to talk about me. I told you how to take care of her. And that’s all I came here to say.”

Sasha moves to exit the room.

“Sasha?”

Sasha’s hand rests on the door handle, but she doesn’t turn it. Although her eyes remain on the door, Carmella knows Sasha is listening to her.

“I’m not in love with Bayley, and Bayley isn’t in love with me,” Carmella says gently, “But I think that maybe if you looked a little closer, you would see who Bayley has really been in love with this whole time.”

Carmella hears Sasha suck in a harsh breath at her words. Carmella watches her closely, but that seems to be her only reaction. Sasha hesitates at the door a moment longer.

But, after a few seconds pass, she yanks the door open and leaves the room without another word.

Carmella watches the door swing close until the soft click leaves her alone in the locker room. She stares at the door forlornly for a moment, with a new understanding of Sasha. Carmella pulls her phone out of her pocket and types out a text to Natalya.

“I can’t do this to Sasha. I’m too close. It can’t be me. I’m sorry.”

Carmella showers, changes her clothes, and heads back to her room. She doesn’t call Bayley that night. They deserve a moment alone.

 

X

 

Ember and Alexa sit together at a diner, already in the next city where Raw is airing live tomorrow. The two women had bonded over the past few weeks. Alexa had shown a little bit of a softer side, and Ember had carefully reciprocated.

The two, being the only ones in the city yet, had agreed to get dinner together that night before heading back to their individual rooms. While they ate, the conversation between the two had been light and friendly. The silences had been amicable.

As they neared the end of their meals, their phones buzzed simultaneously on the table. The two women look at each other, already knowing what the message is about.

“You think she did it?”

“I really don’t know,” Ember answers honestly.

Alexa nods at her, and the women unlock their phones to view the text. Their shoulders slump in disappoint as they learn of another failure. Silence falls between them for another moment. Ember looks up at Alexa, eyeing her cautiously.

“You know…” Ember hesitates, “You know that Becky and you are the only ones left, right?”

Alexa’s eyes don’t shift from her phone.

“Lex,” Ember implores her new friend.

Alexa looks up.

“We all know Becky and Charlotte have their own...thing going on. And Charlotte going didn’t end well. It wouldn’t go well for Becky either.”

Alexa sighs. Ember can feel the woman’s guards shooting up.

“Come on, Alexa,” Ember pleads.

Alexa silently opens her purse, removing her wallet. She counts out enough money to cover both of their bills and drops it on the table. Silently, she puts her wallet back into her purse, grabs the straps, and stands from their booth.

Alexa looks down at her, “That should be enough to cover both of us.”

Ember feels disappointment course through her at the unspoken denial. She watches as Alexa turns around to leave, but the woman pauses. Ember gazes at Alexa’s back trepidatiously, knowing how unpredictable the woman can be. After a few seconds, Alexa says one word.

“Fine.”

A proud smile appears on Ember’s face as Alexa walks out of the diner without another word to her. Ember gets out her phone to text Natalya.

“Alexa wants to go next.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is um....not happy with me ending without a resolution to the Baysha fight? *raises hand*
> 
> However, we did get the shock reveal of *Gasp* ALEXA IS NEXT!!! AHHHHH!!!!
> 
> We are nearing the end guys. Next chapter will be the penultimate one...Let's wait and see what happens...


	6. Plan F: Alexa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexa has her turn. We go back to NXT again. Bayley and Sasha deal with the fall out of their fight. And we finally begin to approach our ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shameless plug: My Tumblr is bisexualshrug
> 
> The wait has been long and hard!! But I've finally deliver. Hope you guys were able to hold on and still remember me!!
> 
> I'm so excited to share this chapter with you guys and hear your feedback. And I'm especially excited as we are approaching our final chapter!!
> 
> Hope you enjoy!!

When Alexa first arrived in the WWE, she was placed in WWE’s developmental brand, NXT. Her first few weeks were exciting and fun and inspiring. Any time Alexa could step in that ring or get a hold of a mic, it was an immediate adrenaline shot. Every moment was a thrill. Every match was a rush. Every promo was a story unfolding that Alexa got to tell.

Alexa had spent years of her life before searching for a dream. As a child, she listened to all of the kids in her classes talk about dream jobs, dream partners, and dream kids. She listened to them share stories about their dream lives, paint them into starry-eyed landscapes, and write them all down in whimsical prose. Alexa is a creative person, but her stories and portraits and essays were always empty. Always blank.

Alexa was different from all the other kids. She never really had a dream. Of course, she told the stories, painted the landscapes, and wrote the prose. Alexa has never been an idiot. And, anything in life she didn’t understand, she found a way to work around. But, they were all just made up dreams. Her dreams were like paper. Easily used, easily discarded, and easily replaced. Her years of school were spent telling stories of paper lives, painting portraits of paper houses, and writing about paper families and paper jobs.

One after another over the years, she would discard the paper and replace it with a brand new sheet. None drawing any emotion out of her. The new sheet of paper was simply there because she was bored of telling the old story.

Alexa has spent her life leaving a trail of crumpled paper behind her.

All until she stumbled upon wrestling. When she started wrestling in NXT, she had picked up a new piece of a paper. A new dream. She was sure she’d discard it when she got bored, just like all the others. But, once she was immersed in NXT, she looked down at her piece of paper, and it seemed heavier. More sturdy. A little more solid than any of the paper that came before it.

In the middle of the wrestling ring, for the first time in her life, she saw stars. The stars filled her up, and she felt a little less empty inside. Wrestling felt a little harder to discard. She thought of all the kids in her class painting whimsical portraits of their dreams. Wrestling is similar to painting. But, instead of painting a canvas, Alexa is painting a story. Her matches tell stories, and her victories paint stars in her mind.

In a wrestling ring, Alexa feels a little flutter in her chest for the first time. She feels a dream, a real dream, trying to come to life.

Alexa doesn’t let it go.

 

X

 

Ember takes in a breath of cold air as she strolls down the busy city street. Usually, she was not the type to walk unnecessarily, but the events of the night left her thinking. And a slow walk back to her hotel could give her the time to sort her thoughts out. Natalya was to arrive to their shared hotel room soon, and Ember knows she will want to talk about Alexa.

After Alexa had left the diner, she had stayed in the booth for another fifteen minutes to finish her food before departing. Now, Ember was almost back to her hotel and had put together what she believed to be a solid explanation for her suggestion. It wouldn’t be easy to convince any of the group that Alexa Bliss could be the solution to their problem, but Ember had to try.

They were out of options.

Before Natalya formed this group, Ember wouldn’t have suggested Alexa for anything. But, over the past few weeks, things had begun to change, and Alexa has been changing too. Alexa has tried to hide it, but Ember can be a perceptive person when she wants to be. She is starting to see past the bullshit front the woman has been putting up.

Honestly, Ember can’t believe she has somehow formed a tentative friendship with this woman. That she maybe even cares about Alexa.

But it’s true.

And, as she makes her way inside the hotel, Ember gathers the courage to defend her friend. Out of all the women, Alexa has seemed to soften to Ember the most. She can’t pinpoint an exact moment the two of them begin to bond, but, looking back, Alexa hasn’t thrown an insult Ember’s way in weeks.

They’ve had friendly conversations backstage, texted some on their off days, and just went to dinner together tonight. And all of it was pleasant. When Alexa sheds her viciousness, there is actually an air of steadiness she radiates. She would almost call it comfort. And it calms Ember down.

Their friendship is tentative, and Ember can’t say she isn’t still wary of the woman. But it is a friendship.

And Ember defends her friends.

Upon entering the hotel room, she immediately spots Natalya sitting on one of the beds. Natalya looks up from her phone at Ember as she closes the door. Before speaking, Ember closes her eyes for a moment, steeling herself before she goes through with this argument. Natalya is certain to be nothing but kind. However, Ember has never liked disagreeing with her friends.

“Hey,” Ember utters.

Natalya gazes at her evenly, “You have a nice dinner with Alexa?”

Ember nods, “Yeah, it was good. Did you get my text?”

“Yeah. I’m actually on the phone with Naomi now talking this over. We just aren’t so sure this is a great idea, Em. Here, I’ll put her on speaker.”

Ember watches Natalya fiddle with her phone for a moment as she makes her way further into the room. She slips her shoes off beside her own bed before sitting down, facing Natalya.

“I knew you guys would be hesitant about trusting her, but we’re out of options.”

Through the phone, Ember hears Naomi, “There’s still Becky.”

Ember lifts a brow at Natalya, “Did she agree?”

Natalya sighs, “I tried. She wouldn’t do it.”

“Then, we are out of options,” Ember asserts, “And Alexa has already agreed to do it.”

“Just because she said she’d do it, doesn’t mean we can trust her,” Naomi contends.

Ember argues, “It’s not about trust. She’s our only option to get the job done. It’s either Alexa or we give up.”

“No, she’s not,” Naomi maintains, “We can keep pestering Becky. Or we could send one of the other girls who has already gone back in. Alexa is not our only choice here.”

“Who do you want to send back in? Asuka tried to break Bayley’s arm. I couldn’t get a single word out in front of them. The IIconic’s attempt left Sasha drunk and in tears. When Charlotte went, all four of them almost killed each other in their car. And Carmella refuses to participate anymore. Alexa may not be the best choice, but she’s the only choice we’ve got.”

There’s silence for a moment as Natalya and Naomi think over what Ember said.

“Do you guys have another idea?”

Natalya sighs in resignation, “No, we don’t.”

“Then, we should just let Alexa try.”

Naomi skeptically says, “I don’t trust her. She’s probably been waiting for this moment to sabotage the entire thing.”

Ember counters, “Alexa had chances to sabotage this before, but all she has done is help us. She pointed out that Sasha would catch on if we kept reusing the same situation. She volunteered to bring Charlotte down to meet us for breakfast when she wouldn’t answer her phone. We wouldn’t have even been able to attempt the plan with Carmella without Alexa suggesting we keep an eye on Bayley and Sasha. And she showed up to help Natalya right after she asked for Alexa’s help.”

A thoughtful look appears on Natalya’s face, and Ember feels a bit of hope.

“She’s not wrong, Naomi. Alexa hasn’t betrayed us yet,” Natalya admits.

“Nattie,” Naomi shoots back, “the key word there is YET. That girl is a snake, and she’s just been waiting for the right time to strike.”

Ember interjects, “You don’t know that!”

“So, you’re telling me you actually trust her?”

Ember hesitates. Does she trust Alexa? Probably not. The two have established a tentative friendship, but it’s still tentative. Ember has seen how willing Alexa is to betray those around her, and she hasn’t really proven herself yet. But, she has never directly attacked Ember and has seemed nothing but interested in a friendship with the woman.

Ember stutters at Naomi’s accusatory question, “I- I don’t know. Maybe, eventually? But, either way, we don’t have another option, and she hasn’t betrayed us when she’s been given the chance!”

Natalya cautiously says, “I just don’t know. Alexa hates Sasha and Bayley. She could really hurt them.”

Ember hesitates for a moment. She thinks about everything they have all done to get Bayley and Sasha together. All of the emotions they have stirred in both of them. She thinks of the harsh fight Natalya described that took place between Bayley and Sasha just last night.

Ember quietly asks, “Haven’t we been hurting them?”

At the question, Natalya looks stricken. Naomi is silent on the other side of the phone while Ember looks at Natalya sadly.

“I-we are just trying to help them. We have good intentions,” Natalya responds, not able to mask the uncertainty in her tone.

“Do intentions really matter when the results are the same?”

Naomi interjects strongly, “The results won’t be the same when we get this right. They’re going to be happy.”

“Not if we just give up,” Ember asserts forcefully, “If we give up, then all we have done is spent weeks hurting our friends. We have to do this, guys.”

The two other women fall silent. They know Ember is right. If they give up, then their only result would be hurting Bayley and Sasha.

Natalya sighs, “She’s right.”

“But-” Naomi says.

“No,” Natalya cuts her off, “You know she’s right, Naomi. We have to end this. We can’t keep doing this to Bayley and Sasha. But we have to end it right. We need Alexa.”

Naomi stays quiet while Ember worries her lip between her teeth. They hear a sigh over the line.

“God, I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this,” Naomi admits reluctantly.

Ember grins, “So, we’re doing it? Alexa is going?”

“Yeah, Alexa is going,” Natalya relents, “But-”

Natalya hesitates. A heavy silence descends on the room. Ember looks at Natalya’s serious expression worriedly.

“But what?” Ember implores.

“If Alexa fails,” Natalya carefully warns, “then, we’re done.”

“Done?” Ember gulps.

“Yes. I’ll disband the group. It will be over. We can’t keep hurting them if we can’t get it right.”

Ember looks at Natalya, surprise covering her face. Out of all the girls, Natalya has been the most dedicated from the start. It was her idea, and Natalya has been an almost mother figure to Bayley and Sasha. Her willingness to give up is something Ember thought she’d never see, but her earlier speech seemed to impact Nattie greatly. Natalya may be stubborn sometimes, but she’s never one to be okay with hurting her friends.

Naomi agrees solemnly, “She’s right. This is our last chance, and we have to make it count.”

So,” Ember questions, “Are we going to tell the other girls tomorrow?”

Natalya nods, “Yes, but you should check in with Alexa first. Make sure she’s really okay with doing this.”

“Can do.”

“Okay,” Natalya says, “Anything else we need to talk about?”

Both girls shake their head. It’s getting late, and they are all clearly tired. Natalya, especially, is worn out after the long drive and her grueling tables match against Ruby Riott at TLC.

“Alright, well, I think we should call it a night. Naomi, will you gather the Smackdown ladies in the morning? We’ll call you maybe around 9 AM, so we can give everyone a chance to sleep in a little,” Natalya arranges.

“No need. I can take care of this one myself. Give you a break,” Naomi proposes.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Okay,” Natalya nods, stifling a yawn, “Goodnight, Naomi.”

“Night, guys.”

Natalya hangs up the Facetime call and rises from her place on the hotel bed. Ember watches her before deciding to go ahead and check in on Alexa. She shoots the woman a quick text and then begins her bedtime routine. Ember and Natalya engage in light conversation about Natalya’s earlier match as they prepare for bed. After a few minutes, Ember hears her phone buzz.

Walking back to where she left the phone on her bed, Ember opens her messages.

“I’m still in.”

 

X

 

Elsewhere in the hotel, Bayley sits patiently in her own room, waiting for Sasha’s arrival. Bayley caught a flight out earlier and checked into their room for the night. Unsurprisingly, after their fight a few days prior, Sasha was nowhere to be found when Bayley returned to their room. Despite Bayley’s attempt to resolve things before they both went home for the week, Sasha hadn’t responded to any of Bayley’s text or calls, and she could only hope Sasha would actually show up to their room that night.

When Sasha had fled the locker room after their fight, Bayley had rushed after her in hopes of resolving the dispute as quickly as possible. The two women had been in a peaceful bliss since Sasha’s confession on RAW months ago, and Bayley wasn’t ready to return to their tumultuous relationship last summer. However, Bayley wasn’t able to catch up to her friend in time to stop her from leaving the arena, and she was nowhere to be found when Bayley returned to their hotel room.

She could only hope that Sasha had managed to catch an earlier flight back home that night, and nothing had happened to her. Despite an endless barrage of texts and calls that night and throughout the week, Bayley had been met with virtual radio silence. And after days of anger and frustration from being ignored, Bayley could only feel worry now.

She had left a key card for Sasha downstairs at the front desk and had texted Sasha to make sure she knew. Now, she waited for Sasha patiently in their room, determined to stay up however long it took. As much as Sasha wanted to avoid Bayley, she knew Sasha would never skip Monday Night RAW, and neither girl could afford separate rooms. Especially when they had already split the bill for the reservation a few weeks ago.

So, now, it was simply a waiting game.

And Bayley had prepared herself to not let either of them go to bed that night without fixing things between them. Sasha couldn’t avoid her any longer. Bayley wouldn’t allow it. Almost a full week had passed by with no contact between the women, and the ache in Bayley’s chest for Sasha had only increased the longer they were separated.

Finally, Bayley hears a click from the hotel door, and it slowly swings open.

Standing up from the bed, Bayley walks toward the hall to see Sasha closing the door, back turned to Bayley. She stifles the urge to run and wrap her arms around Sasha, knowing the girl wouldn’t feel comfortable with a hug right now. Instead, she silently waits for Sasha to turn around.

When the door closes, Sasha seems to hesitate for a moment before finally turning to face Bayley. The first thought that crosses Bayley’s mind is how beautiful she looks. Makeup off. Glasses framing her face perfectly. Wearing a sweatshirt slightly too large for her. And a beanie resting on her head. Bayley doesn’t think a more adorable sight could exist. It’s truly not fair to all the other women in the world. To have to compete with a woman so effortlessly perfect.

And it’s not fair to Bayley’s heart. That almost leaps out of her chest any time Sasha walks into the room. Which painfully aches to fly straight out of Bayley’s chest and into Sasha’s hands. To say, ‘I’m yours. I have been for so long. Please be mine too.’ After years of being in love with her best friend, holding back the truth has only gotten more unbearable for Bayley. Sometimes she feels like not being with Sasha the way she so desperately wants is slowly killing her.

But, looking at Sasha now? God, Bayley would die for her a million times.

Breaking the silence, Sasha quietly mutters, “Hi.”

“Hey,” Bayley says gently.

Silence descends over the room again, neither woman knowing what to say to each other after their fight a week ago. Bayley simply stares at Sasha. She’s sure her longing is painted all over her face. Desperation coating her every feature. Bayley only hopes Sasha doesn’t realize the depth of Bayley’s feelings. Because she has missed her too damn much to even attempt to disguise how she feels.

“Bayley-”

“Sash-”

Both girls speak at the exact same moment. Afterward, there is an awkward pause in the room. Neither girl knowing who should go first.

Sash looks up at Bayley regretfully, “I’m sorry for exploding on you. I was awful, and you didn’t deserve that.”

“No, I didn’t.”

Sasha takes a step closer to Bayley but is not brave enough to close the entire gap between them. Bayley watches her hesitation with a frown on her face. However, she doesn’t move any closer either. The air between them is still tense and cautious.

“Why did you react like that, Sash? You haven’t been that angry in a long time. I thought we were past that.”

“I know,” Sasha sighs regretfully, “I just- I was-”

Sasha goes quiet, seemingly not knowing how to continue. Bayley recognizes the pain on Sasha’s face and reacts instinctively, moving closer until she’s right in front of her. She reaches out and gently grabs Sasha’s hand. Bayley intertwines their fingers and with her other hand gently lifts Sasha’s chin to look back up at her.

“You can tell me the truth,” Bayley reassures, “You always can.”

Sasha swallows harshly, nerves consuming her. She looks up into Bayley’s eyes to be met by her gentle gaze. Bayley moves her hand to softly tuck a lock of Sasha’s hair behind her ear. She pauses momentarily, watching Sasha’s eyes close at the touch. She leans into the touch, and Bayley’s gaze softens.

“You know, Bay. You know why,” Sasha whispers.

Bayley stares at Sasha for a long moment. Trying to understand. Trying to read the woman’s mind. Sasha’s eyes are begging for Bayley to perceive the meaning of her words. In so many ways, Bayley understands Sasha perfectly. But, even now, there seems to be this part of her that Sasha still walls off from Bayley. This thing that Sasha won’t allow out into the air. Sasha is a puzzle, and she has given Bayley every piece except one.

“I don’t know why, Sash,” she mutters.

At Bayley’s words, the moment between them seems to break. Sasha’s steps back slightly, pulling her hand from Bayley’s in the process. The action puts physical space between them, but Bayley knows this is Sasha shutting down emotionally too. Closing Bayley out.

After a pause, Sasha quietly says, “I’m tired. We should probably go to sleep.”

“No,” Bayley asserts, “We aren’t going to sleep until we fix this. Until we are okay again. Sash, I don’t know what I did, but I know you. You only get angry when you’re hurting.”

Bayley steps forward, moving back into the reach of Sasha. If Sasha tries to walk out, Bayley won’t let her. This week apart has been so much harder than Bayley could have imagined. And she won’t put up with the distance between them any longer.

“Bay, I’m just tired. It was a long flight, and it’s late.”

“No,” Bayley shakes her head, “you’re not tired. You just don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

Sasha turns around, facing the bathroom, but Bayley grabs her wrist gently before she can move away. A tug from Bayley causes Sasha to face Bayley again.

“Why won’t you talk to me?,” Bayley begs, “Do you want to keep fighting? Is that it? Because I hate this. I’ve hated this entire week.”

“And you think I’ve liked it?” Sasha says, tone upset and hurting, “This week has sucked. I’ve been upset every day, and you weren’t there.”

Bayley’s voice raises slightly, “Are you serious? I sent you probably a hundred texts and called you a dozen times. I chased after you when you stormed out of that locker room but you disappeared Sasha. You are the one that left.”

Sasha tenses at the accusation. Bayley immediately regrets her words, knowing she has put Sasha on the defensive now. However, she can’t force herself to take them back. Sasha hasn’t shut herself off from Bayley like this for months, and a week of being ignored stung.

“I would never leave you,” Sasha declares firmly.

Bayley snaps back, “Then, explain this entire week. After last summer, you said the fighting was over. And now, what? You’ve changed your mind? You wanna fight now, Sasha?”

“I don’t want to fight,” Sasha shouts, “I never want to fight you!”

“Then, why can’t we sort things out right now? Why are you shutting me out, Sasha? We were past this. You were past this!”

Sasha yanks her wrist out of Bayley’s grasp, “Well, maybe I’m not anymore! You don’t know everything about me, Bayley! You’ve made that perfectly clear!”

The tension in the room has grown thicker. Almost out of nowhere, the conversation has escalated into another fight. Emotions had been running high between the two lately, and the match had been lit again.

“I am not a mind reader! I can’t just know what you won’t tell me, Sasha!”

Sasha narrows her eyes and steps closer to Bayley.

She aggressively hurls back, “I don’t have to tell you everything.”

“You don’t have to do anything!” Bayley yells, “All I’m asking is for you to tell me what’s going on! I’m just trying to help!”

The tension in Sasha has been building for weeks. The constant barrage of their friends seemingly flirting with Bayley has kept Sasha’s frustration and anger mounting. And, now, it is all spilling over at Bayley.

Sasha hisses, “Maybe I don’t need your help.”

Bayley blinks in shock, Sasha’s harsh words piercing past her anger.

“So, it’s gonna be like this again? I’m just tossed to the outside? Big, bad Sasha Banks doesn’t need me anymore.”

Sasha steps closer, snarling, “You don’t know what I need.”

The two women are almost nose-to-nose at this point. Both are breathing heavily. Their anger is palpable and tension is crackling in the air between them. Their eyes are locked, both refusing to be the first to look away.

For an instant, Sasha feels the urge to glance down at Bayley’s lips. She barely resists the impulse, knowing Bayley would instantly catch the action. As much as Sasha is angry right now, the thick tension in the room and the little space between them is making it difficult not to press even closer into Bayley. Sasha can feel her eyes darken. She just wants-

Suddenly, panic fills Sasha’s mind, and she jerks backward, quickly putting space between Bayley and herself. Abruptly, Sasha turns and grabs the handle of her suitcase, the panic from the moment overwhelming her. She just needs to get away. From Bayley. From this.

Before she can take another step toward the exit, Bayley’s hand snatches her arm. Stopping Sasha in her tracks.

“Are you seriously leaving right now?”

Sasha turns her head back to Bayley, lashing out in her panic, “Yes. Let me the hell go, Bayley.”

“Ugh,” Bayley groans, “You’re so damn frustrating, Sasha. Stay here with me and have this conversation.”

“No. Let me go,” Sasha growls.

Bayley forcefully declares, “I’m not letting you leave.”

“Don’t think I won’t pull your hand off me right now, Bayley.”

Sasha takes a step closer to Bayley, once again putting them face-to-face. Hot anger pulses through both women. The tension in the room is at an all-time high. Sasha’s glare is vicious. Momentarily, Bayley is reminded of their days in NXT together.

“Fine! You wanna leave so bad?” Bayley shouts, releasing Sasha’s arm, “Go. Find your own damn room. Run away.”

The sudden declaration from Bayley surprises Sasha. She looks stricken for a moment. as if Bayley’s words had been a slap in the face. As if she had been telling Bayley to let her go but wanted Bayley to make her stay. However, Sasha’s stubborn streak kicks back in. Her old desire to protect herself takes over.

Sasha hesitates for a moment longer before storming out the door.

When the door closes behind her, a frustrated growl escapes Bayley. Anger and hurt swirl together in her brain. Her fist clenches, and she impulsively punches the dresser beside her.

“God damn it!” Bayley shouts, rage and pain echoing around the empty room.

 

X

 

From the very beginning, Alexa knew the spotlight in NXT was directed at Bayley, Sasha, Charlotte, and Becky. The Four Horsewomen. The harbingers of the Women’s Revolution. And...the four of them were truly amazing. Alexa watched them wrestle and feud with one another, and she was in awe. They were inspirational. They were everything WWE said they were. With the Four Horsewomen, there was no hype. Just truth.

And Alexa admired them so much in those days. She was so new to this business and learning every day. And watching them helped. Wrestling was the first thing in Alexa’s life that made her feel something. That ignited a passion. These women had passion and talent pouring off every inch of their bodies. How could Alexa not admire them?

But Alexa was never content with being tossed to the side. So, of course, she wanted to learn from them. Grow because of their help. Maybe Alexa wasn’t as amazing as they were right now, but, with time and training, Alexa knows she could shine just as bright.

The first one Alexa decided to approach was Bayley.

Out of the four women, the smiling hugger seemed by far the least intimidating. And Alexa had never seen Bayley show anything but kindness to everyone around her. If any of them would be willing to help train Alexa, then surely it would be Bayley.

Alexa waits until an NXT show where Bayley is booked for a match and waits for her a few feet from gorilla. She watches on the monitors as Bayley and Sasha Banks face-off in a number one contender match for Charlotte’s NXT Women’s Championship. Alexa dreams one day of holding that title herself, but now is not her moment.

The match is impressive. Both women give it everything they’ve got. Alexa winces several times at Sasha’s blatant cruelty and viciousness. But, no matter how much punishment Bayley takes from Sasha, she never gives up. Never stays down. Never submits.

Alexa’s eyes shine. A night sky appears in Alexa’s vision for a moment before fading away as Alexa pulls herself back to reality.

Bayley won. She’s in the ring celebrating, clearly tired and worn from the match. But ecstatic at her opportunity. Alexa watches the screen with a smile on her face when a body barrels into her.

A voice growls, “Watch where you’re going.”

Alexa turns to see Sasha Banks, exhausted and beaten. Clearly furious.

“Um,” Alexa starts nervously, “Sorry, Sasha. Good match.”

Sasha’s eyes flash angrily and narrow at Alexa, “Good match? I lost. I don’t lose good matches. That was a shit match, and it ended in a fluke. But you clearly knew that because you were staring all gooey-eyed at the monitor.”

Alexa’s eyes shift nervously, “I was just...watching the match.”

Sasha laughs sarcastically, “Watching the match? The match ended, sweetie. The only thing on that screen was Bayley, and you were watching her like some kind of lovesick puppy. Who the hell are you?”

“Alexa...Alexa Bliss.”

Sasha scoffs, “Bliss? You supposed to wrestle or something?”

“Yeah,” Alexa confirms wearily, “I’ve been training for a couple months now. I was a bodybuilder before this.”

Sasha’s eyes scan her body. Alexa has never felt more exposed or judged.

“Bodybuilding?” Sasha questions rudely, “Honey, you might need to get a body before you can build one. You have the figure of an eleven-year-old child. Why don’t you just scurry along back to the middle school you belong in?”

Alexa is hurt by the verbal onslaught but she steels herself. She has to swipe back. Alexa has to be strong to be taken seriously in this business, and she can’t let Sasha walk all over her now. She won’t allow it. But, before she can respond, Bayley appears in front of her. Blocking Sasha from Alexa.

“Sasha,” Bayley sighs, “Do you constantly have to walk around bullying the girls backstage?”

Alexa moves slightly, so she can see around Bayley. Sasha seems even more upset at the interruption and steps closer to Bayley in an attempt to intimidate her.

“Was I talking to you?” Sasha asks lowly.

“No, you weren’t. But I’m talking to you,” Bayley firmly declares.

Sasha laughs sarcastically, “Are you serious? Do you even know this girl?”

Sasha gestures toward Alexa, and Bayley turns to look at her for the first time. Their eyes meet. Bayley’s kind gaze silently asking Alexa if she is alright. Alexa nods. Bayley smiles before turning back to Sasha.

“I don’t have to know her. But she’s clearly a wrestler, just like you and me. So, she deserves our respect.”

Sasha rolls her eyes, “Whatever. She’s been wrestling for a few months. I’ve been training for this my entire life. Little Miss Polly Pocket can step to the back of the line because nobody is getting in between me and Charlotte’s title.”

Bayley lifts an eyebrow, “Except me.”

Sasha scowls, “You got lucky.”

“Two times in a row?”

“Shut up,” Sasha snarls.

“Make me. Oh, wait. You already tried. And failed. Twice.”

Alexa stifles a chuckle behind her hand until Sasha’s eyes flash in her direction. Quickly, Alexa schools her features into a carefully blank expression. Sasha’s eyes narrow at her for a moment before focusing back on Bayley.

“You think you’re funny now,” Sasha spits, “But you’re losing to Charlotte at Takeover. And then, you’re heading straight to the back of the line with that little wannabe Tinkerbell behind you. Where you both belong.”

“Sasha, don’t you have somewhere else to be?” Bayley smiles sarcastically, “You should probably go before your broom gets too cold.”

Alexa giggles and looks at Bayley. Bayley looks back at the sound of laughter, grinning proudly at her. Feeling her confidence building, Alexa turns to an irate Sasha.

“I think you got a little something right there,” Alexa slyly says to Sasha, pointing at her own chin.

Sasha’s eyebrow furrow but her hand moves up to swipe at the spot on her chin.

Alexa continues with a smirk, “Oops. I think that’s actually just your wart. My mistake.”

Bayley cackles loudly and raises her hand for a high five. Alexa smacks her hand lightly, grinning up at the woman. Sasha huffs and stomps her foot angrily.

“Whatever,” Sasha snarls, “I have better things to do than stand here talking to you two losers.”

Sasha glares at the two laughing women one last time before walking away. Before she can leave, Bayley takes one last swipe at her.

“Sasha, don’t forget your umbrella! It’s raining outside, and we don’t want you melting in the parking lot!”

Bayley and Alexa erupt into another fit of laughter as Sasha growls and slams open the locker room door, disappearing inside. After a few more moments, their laughs begin to slow, and Alexa attempts to catch her breath. She carefully wipes away a tear from her eye and grins brightly at Bayley.

“Thank you for that,” Alexa says shyly.

“Ah, no problem,” Bayley shrugs, “Not a lot of girls back here. So, we gotta stick together when we can, right?”

Alexa smiles, “Right.”

“I don’t think I caught your name.”

“Alexa Bliss.”

“Well,” Bayley starts, a twinkle in her eye, “It was nice meeting you, Miss Bliss. I’ll see you around?”

“Yeah,” Alexa replies, sounding a little too eager to her own ears.

“Cool,” Bayley nods, shooting one last grin at Alexa before turning away.

Suddenly remembering the purpose of her presence in gorilla, Alexa’s eyes widen, and she reaches forward to grab Bayley’s wrist.

“Wait!”

Bayley turns to look at Alexa again, as she begins to feel a little nervous. Bayley may have defended her, but that doesn’t mean she would have any interest in training her. Being friendly backstage is one thing, but actively training your competition? That could be a little too much to ask from anyone. However, before Alexa loses all her courage, she forces herself to remember how she feels in that ring. A night sky and a single star appear behind her eyes, and her courage grows.

“Do you think you might,” Alexa begins nervously, “be willing to train me sometimes? It’s just- I’m kind of new, but I really love this. And I’ve watched you, and you’re just so amazing that I- I wanted to at least ask. You don’t have to if you don’t want-”

“Sure,” Bayley interrupts, “I can train you.”

Alexa’s eyes widen, “Really?”

Bayley grins, “Yeah. I said we gotta stick together, and I meant that.”

Alexa breathes out, “Awesome.”

Bayley glances down at her phone, “I’ve got somewhere to be right now. But, maybe we could train next Wednesday morning? Before the NXT tapings. Maybe about 7 that morning?”

“That would be great,” Alexa says, pushing through her shock.

“Cool,” Bayley grins, “I’ve gotta go, Alexa. I’ll see you next Wednesday though.”

“Yeah,” Alexa replies eagerly, “I’ll see you then.”

Bayley turns and walks down the hall. Alexa watches her leave with a beaming smile on her face, almost bouncing happily in place. Bayley is going to train her. Bayley actually agreed to train her. And maybe, just maybe, Alexa has a shot at having her dream after all.

Alexa closes her eyes.

She sees a night sky, illuminated by two bright stars.

 

X

 

After her conversation with Natalya and Ember, Naomi calls a breakfast meeting of the Smackdown women the next morning. The original plan was to meet at the hotel’s complimentary breakfast bar, but that is, of course, ruined by Billie and Peyton. Both of whom are adamant that the IHOP ten minutes away is much better. The women insist that they are so tired of breakfast bars they’ll become deathly ill if they have to eat at another one.

Not wanting to deal with what will surely be their endless complaints, Naomi just agrees to move the gathering to the IHOP. That morning, all of the women piled together in two separate cars. Naomi drove her rented vehicle, taking Billie, Peyton, Asuka, and Carmella, which had left Becky and Charlotte driving together.

However, strangely enough, Becky and Charlotte seemed to have no complaints at all. Even after Naomi asked if the two would like to be split up, both women stammered out refusals. Naomi suspiciously observed the two girls, looking around nervously and refusing to look the other in the eye. Shaking her head, Naomi decided to silently allow the two women to sort out whatever mess they had going on this time.

After arriving at the restaurant and ordering their food, Naomi decided it was time to break the news to the group. Before beginning, she rolls her eyes preemptively, preparing herself for the eruption.

“Okay, guys,” Naomi calls everyone to attention.

The girls around the table end their idle chatter and go silent, knowing Naomi is going to update them on their next move.

“So,” Naomi begins, “I talked to Nattie and Ember last night. A serious talk. We are all starting to feel a little guilty about what we’ve been doing. We all came into this with good intentions, but the only thing we’ve accomplished is hurting Bayley and Sasha.”

The girls around the table look around each other, knowing the truth of the words. Carmella looks especially stricken, lowering her head in shame.

“We don’t wanna hurt them anymore,” Naomi admits.

“So,” Peyton says sorrowfully, “Does that mean we’re done? Are we just giving up?”

Billie turns to her girlfriend, immediately catching the forlorn expression on her face. Under the table, she grabs Peyton’s hand and strokes the back of Peyton’s hand with her thumb. Peyton turns to her and smiles sadly at the comfort.

“No, we’re not done,” Naomi firmly denies, before speaking a little softer, “But, we did agree that we are only doing this one more time. It’s not fair to keep doing this to them if we keep failing.”

Several of the girls nod their heads in agreement. Charlotte and Carmella seem the most regretful of the group, appearing to shrink slightly back into their seats. Instead of nodding, Becky is eyeing Naomi critically, seeming almost as if she’s trying to piece together a puzzle.

Crossing her arms across her chest, Becky narrows her eyes, “Who’s going, then?”

At Becky’s prompting, the other girls spring back to attention, curiosity overtaking the solemn mood apparent moments ago. They were aware of how narrow the field was getting. When Naomi had said they were going one last time, most of the women were assuming Becky had agreed to go. However, with Becky knowing nothing about the plans, the women are left without a clue.

Naomi sighs and closes her eyes tightly for a moment. The reaction from Naomi seems to confirm something for Becky. A fire immediately lights behind her eyes. Her arms uncross, and her hands come down on the table a little too harshly.

“No,” Becky spits out angrily.

Naomi’s shoulders slump, dreading the oncoming fight, “Becky-”

Becky fiercely interrupts, “No. She’s not goin’. I’m not lettin’ her.”

Naomi rolls her eyes, “You’re not in charge, Becky.”

“I don’t care,” Becky harshly fires back, “She’s probably been waitin’ for this the whole time. She HATES them! You put her up to this, and she’ll ruin ‘em. And I’m not lettin’ that happen.”

Charlotte’s eyes widen in sudden realization, “Alexa? You’re not serious.”

Suddenly, almost all the girls start speaking over each other at once. All aghast at the revelation by Charlotte. Naomi could hardly make out a single word through all the ruckus. She shakes her head and sends a quick pray up to God to deliver her from this conversation. As the yelling continues, Naomi’s frustration climbs.

“GUYS!” Naomi loudly interrupts.

The loud chatter from the girls goes silent while several other customers at the IHOP glare at the loud group.

“We’re doing this. It’s already been decided,” Naomi strongly declares.

Becky cuts a sharp glare at Naomi, “I don’t take orders from no one.”

Carmella pipes up, “Natalya said this is a democracy. No one is the boss, and none of us trust Alexa do this.”

Naomi rolls her eyes, “Well, it doesn’t matter what Natalya said. This is a dictatorship, and I’m the one dictating. Trust me, Natalya, Ember, and I discussed this for a long time. And I was just as against it as you guys are. But we are out of other options.”

Billie argues, “That’s not true. Becky hasn’t gone, and she’s much more trustworthy than Alexa.”

All of the women turn to look at Becky whose anger seems to suddenly deflate. She glances toward Charlotte for a moment before sinking into her seat. Charlotte silently looks down at her plate at the suggestion, making her the only one of the group not staring at Becky insistently.

Naomi lifts an eyebrow challengingly, “Yeah, Becky. If you hate Alexa so much, then why don’t you go?”

Becky glances at Charlotte again before muttering, “Don’t wanna.”

“What was that?” Naomi prods further.

Becky glowers, “I said I don’t wanna go, alright?”

“Then, just like I said, we are out of options.”

Asuka turns to Becky, “Why do you not want to go?”

The question finally pulls Charlotte’s gaze from the table, and her eyes shift to Becky. At the same time, Becky had glanced toward Charlotte again. Their eyes connect and lock onto one another. The look between them is charged and heavy. Each of them silently pleading for some kind of answer. Begging the other to solve the problems between them. But neither is willing to make the move. To finally close the gap.

Becky’s eyes cut back to Asuka, and she mutters, “Not a good idea.”

“Why not?” Peyton questions, “All of us took our turns. Why do you not have to go?”

Becky laughs sarcastically, “Oh, yeah, because Billie and you were so pressured to flirt with Bayley.”

“We weren’t pressured,” Billie admits, “But apparently, we’re better teammates. Some friend you are to Bayley and Sasha. Not willing to help them at all.”

Becky growls, “Don’t you dare question my friendship with them.”

“A true friend would want to help.”

“I’m not doing it,” Becky hisses.

Naomi interrupts the spat, “Then, you agree that Alexa should go.”

“No,” Becky rebukes, “It’s a shit idea, and we all know it.”

“So, then you will go?” Naomi goads, trying to back Becky into a corner.

“No!” Becky snaps, frustration beginning to boil over from repeating herself continuously.

“Fine,” Naomi declares victoriously, “Since you’re not an option, we only have Alexa. Glad we cleared that up.”

“Becky, you should just go,” Peyton speaks up suddenly, “It’s not that big of a deal.”

“I agree with Peyton. Really, stop throwing such a hissy fit, Becky,” Billie supplies, rolling her eyes at the dramatics of Becky’s refusal.

Becky’s anger climbs, and she turns to look at Charlotte. Her ex-girlfriend sits, silently playing with the eggs on her plate. Abruptly, Becky shoves her chair backward and stands from the table. Charlotte jerks up at the sound, but it’s now Becky refusing to look at her. The other girls startle at the unexpected reaction.

“I don’t have to put up with this,” Becky says, temper finally bursting, “I’m outta here.”

Naomi sighs, “Becky-”

But, before she can do anything else, Becky angrily storms away from the table and out of the restaurant. Naomi sighs in resignation, knowing a Becky explosion was likely if she felt pressured to participate. However, there was no way to get the rest of the girls to agree with her unless they knew there was no chance of Becky taking over.

Naomi catches Charlotte looking forlornly at the exit. For a moment, Naomi expects Charlotte to pursue the irate former champion. But, after a few more seconds, Charlotte looks back down at her plate. Making no moves to exit or chase after Becky. Naomi feels pity for the two women wash over her.

“I think,” Asuka breaks the silence, “we should let Alexa go.”

Carmella looks at Asuka astounded, “Why would we do that?”

Asuka shrugs, “Sasha has not hated anyone else.”

“Um,” Carmella replies skeptically, “Pretty sure she hates me, babe.”

“No,” Asuka shakes her head, “Just insecure. If Sasha hates Alexa, then she will not let Bayley go.”

Carmella stares hard at Asuka for a moment, trying to find a flaw in her logic. Sasha only came to Carmella because, on some level, she trusted Carmella to take care of Bayley. She believed Carmella cared about Bayley and would put her first. But, none of that could be true with Alexa. The hatred between Alexa and Sasha is deep and vicious. Sasha could never trust Alexa with Bayley and would do anything in her power to stop something from developing between the two.

Maybe even confess. In the heat of the moment.

Carmella sighs at the realization, “She’s right.”

“What!?”

The other women around the table question immediately, shocked that Carmella changed her opinion so quickly. Asuka beams proudly at Carmella’s agreement. Assured and happy with her persuasiveness. Naomi looks at Asuka with a disbelieving smile. Her friend always seems to come through when Naomi needs her. And Asuka does it with the bare minimum effort.

“Listen,” Carmella sighs, “I know none of us trust Alexa. But we have to remember that Sasha doesn’t trust her either. The only reason she was able to tolerate me was that she trusted me with Bayley. Sasha will never. Trust. Alexa.”

The girls around the room still look skeptical, so Carmella continues.

“That means she might lose control at even the thought of Alexa pursuing Bayley. Because not only would that mean Sasha losing Bayley, but it would mean Bayley being with a person Sasha doesn’t believe could ever care for her.”

Billie and Peyton glance at each other. Peyton shrugs her shoulders, and Billie shoots her a glance conveying, ‘Might as well.’ Charlotte’s gaze on Carmella is piercing but contemplative. The girls seem to be softening to the idea some, so Naomi decides now is the time for her to bring it home.

“Everything that Carmella said is true,” Naomi points out, “But, I’d like to remind everyone that we are out of options. If we want to do this, then it has to be Alexa.”

There’s a pause for a moment, arguments at the table finally dying down for the first time. Naomi observes the girls, noticing their hesitation.

“So, are you guys in?” Naomi asks an air of finality in her voice.

Carmella chimes in first, “I’m in.”

Asuka nods her firmly, “I will also be in.”

Billie and Peyton nod at each other, intertwining their hands under the table, “We’re in, too.”

Smiling in thanks to all of her girls, Naomi turns to the only one who has remained silent.

Charlotte stares at her plate, face devoid of expression. All pf the girls watch her cautiously, wary of her answer. Out of the entire group, Becky and Charlotte were the most protective of Bayley and Sasha. And, with Becky already storming out at the proposal, the girls are unsure what Charlotte will ultimately decide.

Charlotte carefully places both of her hands down in her lap before looking up from her plate. She lifts her chin slightly, projecting an air of authority.

“I’m not helping,” she calmly reveals to the disappointment of the women, “I don’t trust Alexa, and I don’t support her getting anywhere near Sasha and Bayley.”

Naomi sighs, not looking forward to explaining to Natalya how they’ve lost two of their members. Hopefully, they won’t actually need Charlotte or Becky for the plan. And, if they do, they’ll have to find a way to work around it.

“However,” Charlotte continues, “I will still be involved. I’ll disapprove of anything involving Alexa. I’m staying, but only to protect Sasha and Bayley from this.”

Naomi regards her carefully, eyeing Charlotte suspiciously, “You can stay, but only if you agree not to interfere.”

Charlotte’s eyes narrow critically at Naomi, measuring the woman in front of her.

“Fine. I won’t get involved.”

Naomi nods.

“Unless I think Alexa is up to something. If Alexa makes one misstep,”

Charlotte pauses for a moment. Naomi gets a sinking feeling in her gut, knowing Charlotte will mean whatever she is about to threaten.

“One mistake,” Charlotte holds a single finger up in indication, “and I will tell Sasha everything we have been doing.”

Naomi’s eyes widen before a vicious glare appears on her face, “No. You’re not going to be involved at all with those stakes.”

Charlotte raises an eyebrow challengingly, “Then, I’ll just go tell Sasha anyway.”

Naomi takes deep breaths, trying to not leap across the table at Charlotte in the middle of this IHOP. She can feel her blood pressure rise. Why does it always have to be her responsibility to handle all these dramatics?

“Fine,” Naomi reluctantly gives in, “You can stay. But if you’re interfering, then you tell me first. Before anything else. Got it?”

Charlotte nods, silently accepting the compromise. Then, she rises from the table.

“I will see you all at the next meeting.”

The girls send quiet goodbyes to Charlotte, who nods one final time and walks out of the door. Naomi’s gaze follows her for a moment, just as Charlotte opens the door Naomi remembers how Charlotte got here. Riding with Becky. Who already left.

Naomi’s eyes narrow in suspicion before she cautiously rises from the table, carefully making her way to the window. Looking outside, Naomi instantly notices the familiar car. Becky stormed out of the restaurant, but she didn’t leave.

She waited.

For Charlotte.

Charlotte opens the passenger door and climbs inside the vehicle. Naomi watches the two women leave the parking lot together.

That’s...unexpected.

 

X

 

After the confrontation with Sasha backstage, Bayley started training Alexa each morning before NXT. Working with Bayley, learning from Bayley. It was more useful than Alexa imagined. She could feel herself becoming stronger, faster, and more careful. Alexa had trained as a bodybuilder, but the regimen for a wrestler was almost entirely different. Bayley’s knowledge of the strategies behind a match left Alexa in awe.

The training was grueling, but Alexa knew she was growing. Knew she was improving. And Bayley made sure to reassure Alexa of that as well. She doesn’t think a more supportive trainer was out there. The absolute kindness from Bayley was overwhelming, and her passion for wrestling was palpable. She knew so much. Trained so hard. It was overwhelming.

Now, Alexa sat backstage at Takeover, watching Bayley make her entrance for her title match against Charlotte. Alexa was bright and hopeful, fully believing in her trainer and friend. Before the match, Alexa had wished her luck in the locker room, and Bayley had thanked her sweetly with a tight embrace.

“You’re gonna be amazing,” Alexa whispered softly in Bayley’s arms.

Bayley squeezed her before pulling back from the hug with a friendly smile, “Thanks, Lexi.”

For a second, Alexa felt a tiny flutter in her chest as Bayley grinned down at her. But the feeling quickly disappeared as the woman left the locker room. Since Bayley’s departure, Alexa had slowly made her way out to catering where she could watch the match live.

She picks a few light items from the catering tables and finds a table where she can watch the match. She’s just popped another grape into her mouth when Bayley’s music hits. An uncontrollable grin spread on her face as she watches Bayley make her entrance.

The girl is like a bright ball of sunshine, and the crowd absolutely adores her. Bayley stops along her way to hug fans and children in the audience, and Alexa’s gaze softens at the sight. How can someone so talented be that genuinely good? Usually, in this business, it’s do the right thing or win.

But, Bayley has somehow found a way to rise above the others and win. To come out on top without compromising her morals or values. To do the right thing. And win too.

Alexa waits excitedly for her friend to do the same thing tonight but it...doesn’t happen. Bayley mounts a valiant effort, but it wasn’t enough. Alexa watched on in alarm as Sasha Banks ran out to the ring and begin to beat Bayley down viciously until Bayley was saved by Charlotte.

As the months passed, Alexa and Bayley continued to train together weekly. But Alexa would watch Bayley get hurt on television almost every week. At first by Sasha. Then, by Sasha and Becky. Alexa watched, despondently, as Bayley was betrayed by friend after friend.

Until she was left alone.

With no one.

Except for Alexa. And Alexa was set to face Sasha on NXT this week. On Monday morning, Bayley was especially serious in her training. Warning Alexa of how dangerous Sasha can be. How Alexa can defend herself. Gave her strategies and moves that she could use to win. Things Sasha wouldn’t expect. At the end of the training, Bayley placed both of her hands on Alexa’s shoulders.

She looked at Alexa seriously, firmly assuring her, “You can win. You can do this, Lexi. Fair and square fight. You’ll take her down.”

Alexa nods resolutely with determination in her eyes. She pushes aside the small fluttering in her chest at Bayley standing this close to her. Alexa feels confidence flood her.

“I’ve got this. I’m ready.”

Bayley smiles, releasing her grip on Alexa and stepping back, “That’s the spirit! Take it to her tonight, Lexi.”

Alexa smiles back. Ready to make Bayley proud. Ready to beat Sasha, just like Bayley had before her.

The day seems to drag on forever, Alexa’s anticipation and nerves building as the match slowly draws nearer. She gets ready in the locker room and walks to gorilla, getting ready for her entrance to be played. Alexa stands in gorilla alone. Her gaze is focused on the wall. She’s mentally going over everything Bayley helped her with one last time when she’s interrupted.

“Well, well, well,” Sasha says mockingly, “If it isn’t Miss Polly Pocket. Or, better yet, Bayley’s new little pet. How cute.”

Alexa rolls her eyes, “Whatever, Sasha. Why don’t we just put talking aside tonight and concentrate on our match in a few minutes.”

Sasha laughs cruelly, “Honey, I don’t need to concentrate to beat Bayley’s lapdog. Honestly, your little crush on her is getting pretty sad to everyone backstage. Trust me. We all just feel a little sorry for you.”

Alexa feels a sting behind her eyes but refuses to let Sasha get to her. Instead, she hardens her stare at her opponent.

“You won’t be feeling sorry for me tonight after I beat you. Just like Bayley has.”

Sasha’s eyes flash dangerously.

She snarls, “Listen up, little girl. Bayley may like sympathy projects, but I sure as hell don’t. You don’t belong here. You never will. And if you step into my ring tonight, then you’ll regret it.”

Alexa feels herself begins to falter, “That ring belongs to me just as much as it belongs to you. Or Bayley.”

Sasha rolls her eyes, “You’re living in a fantasy land. You will never beat me. You will never belong in that ring. And this little dream you have in your head of you and Bayley running off into the sunset together? Will. Never. Happen.”

Once again, Alexa feels tears sting her eyes. Before they can fall, though, Alexa hears her entrance music hit in the background. Without another word, she turns from Sasha and heads toward the curtain. Before she can walk through, she hears Sasha one last time.

“You’re just a little girl playing dress up. You’re not a real wrestler. And even Bayley thinks it. You’re losing tonight, and Bayley already knows it.”

A few minutes later, Alexa stands in the ring, facing Sasha. Before the bell rings, she closes her eyes tight. This is for Bayley.

The match begins, and Alexa is putting up a hard fight. She’s applying everything Bayley has taught her over the past few months and all of her advice about Sasha. And Alexa can tell she is beginning to overwhelm her opponent. The clear surprise is painted all over Sasha’s face as the match drags on. She had clearly expected to put away Alexa quickly and easily.

Then, it happens.

Sasha smashes Alexa’s head face-first into the canvas. Immediately, Alexa feels her nose crack and a stinging pain erupts on her face. A few seconds later she can feel blood beginning to drip out of her nose. From there, the match only gets worse.

And, about twenty seconds later, Alexa is bleeding. And Sasha has her in the Bank Statement. And, God, she is in so much pain. She thinks of Bayley, and she almost pushes through. But the pain is blinding, and it’s not enough.

She taps.

Before Sasha lets go, she hisses words that Alexa will never forget. After months of watching Bayley losing. Losing herself. Being left defeated and bleeding in the ring after giving up. The humiliation and self-doubt left Alexa bare and open. She was at her most vulnerable, and Sasha struck at the exactly correct moment. The words are always there. As much as she will try to shake them off over the years, they clawed their way into her mind and left scars behind. Left their mark.

“You’re just a weak girl who needs to find a different dream to waste her time on.”

Alexa has never had a dream.

Other than this. Other than wrestling. It’s the only thing that ever made her see stars. The only thing that has ever made Alexa feel something. Hope for something. Want something.

And, she can’t let that go. She can’t be weak. If Alexa loses this, then she’ll never hold onto something solid again.

Just paper.

Weak, easily discardable paper.

Alexa is not paper.

 

X

 

“You sure you want to do this?” Ember asks tentatively, pausing at Natalya’s hotel room door before knocking.

“You’re the one who asked me to,” Alexa responds hesitantly, eyes refusing to meet Ember.

Ember steps forward, placing a hand on Alexa’s arm.

“I did. But, if you don’t want to, for whatever reason, then you don’t have to.”

“I know I don’t have to,” Alexa snaps, then sighs, “I’ve been here this whole time. And I haven’t really done much. So…”

Ember nods, “So.”

The two stand there in awkward silence until Alexa rolls her eyes and pounds on the door. When Natalya opens the door, Alexa storms her way past Natalya and plops down onto the bed. Ember follows her in, sending a sheepish smile to Natalya. Ember takes the spot beside Alexa on the bed, looking at Alexa pleadingly. Alexa seems reticent but nods stiffly in return.

“Well, make yourself at home,” Natalya says sarcastically.

Alexa opens her mouth to respond in kind but a quick pinch of her arm shifts her attention to Ember, “OW! What was that for?”

Ember looks at her critically, “Whatever you were just about to say was not going to be helpful. We talked about this.”

Alexa huffs and crosses her arms, mumbling, “She started it.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Ember scolds.

Alexa scowls but doesn’t add anything further, simply staring at the wall on the other side of the room. Natalya raises her eyebrows at the two in surprise, never having seen Alexa actually listen to another person before now.

Ember looks between the two women, “Do you guys wanna get started?”

“Of course,” Natalya nods diplomatically, thinking it best to get this finished sooner rather than later.

Alexa sighs, “Fine.”

“So,” Ember initiates when no one takes the lead, “Does anyone have any ideas?”

Alexa sits silently on the bed. Her gaze has shifted from the wall to the edge of a sheet she’s currently rubbing with her fingers. The girl seems unusually reserved in comparison to their other meetings. Ember can guess her restrained demeanor is being caused by her new role but can’t pinpoint a reason for her nerves.

“Well, I actually have an idea,” Natalya puts forward.

Alexa’s head immediately jerks up from the bed to watch Natalya. Ember’s eyes linger on Alexa’s strange behavior before she decides to shake it off.

“What do you think she should do, Nattie?”

Natalya hesitates, “I don’t know if you guys are going to like it.”

Alexa tenses further, but Ember lets out a slight chuckle.

“Come on. It can’t be that bad. Just say it.”

Natalya shakes her head, bracing herself for the explosion. Neither girl will react well to the suggestion, but she can guess Alexa, especially, will put up a fight over this one. But, this is their last shot. And Natalya intends to get it right this time. No matter how far she has to push it. Time to fight for Sasha and Bayley.

“I think Alexa should kiss Bayley.”

Alexa shoots up from the bed with panic-stricken eyes.

She shrieks, “I should do what!?”

Ember, although more subdued, seems just as alarmed by the proposal. Her eyes widen and her mouth slightly drops open from shock.

Ember speaks slowly, dumbfounded, “You want Alexa to...to kiss Bayley?”

Natalya nods, “Yes.”

Suddenly, a loud forced laugh bursts from Alexa, “That’s so funny, Nattie. God, you really had me going for a second there.”

“I’m serious,” Natalya replies, face serious and devoid of humor.

Alexa laughs again, her eyes flitting nervously around the room. The laugh is more high-pitched, and Natalya notices that Alexa is panicking.

“I don’t know if this is the best idea,” Ember warns.

“I didn’t want to do this either,” Natalya admits, “but I’ve thought about it a lot. I tried to come up with any better idea, and I just couldn’t. We’ve tried everything, and none of it worked. The only reason we haven’t done this is because I’ve shut the idea down from the girls before. But we are out of time, guys.”

“So, just because I’m the last option means I have to KISS Bayley?” Alexa shrieks, “Why don’t we just let the IIconics do it? They’ve been trying to have some kind of weird menage a trois with Bayley from the start!”

Ember makes a disgusted face, “Please don’t ever put that image of Bayley in my head again.”

Alexa rolls her eyes, “Whatever. It’s not fair that I have to do this. I didn’t sign up to kiss Bayley!”

Natalya quirks an eyebrow, “Okay. Then, what did you sign up for?”

Alexa freezes at the question. Natalya watches her carefully. She has been curious about Alexa’s presence from the start. With Alexa’s clear disdain for the two women, the reason she would want to be involved in their happiness has remained the biggest mystery in the group. And while Alexa has done nothing so far to prove Natalya’s suspicions, she is nowhere near trusting the woman.

Alexa raises her chin in the air, “No one else had to share their reasons for being here. I don’t know why I’m always singled out.”

“Because you hate them,” Natalya points out.

Alexa clenches her jaw, “And, why does that matter?”

“Because this,” Natalya gestures at all three women in the room, “is a group effort to make them happy. The only thing you’ve done your entire career is make them miserable.”

Alexa stays quiet, body language growing tenser as Natalya’s questioning continues. Ember glances at her friend worriedly.

“I mean, come on, Alexa,” Natalya continues, “You’ve had some kind of personal vendetta against them from the second you arrived on Raw. You’ve clearly never felt anything but disdain for Sasha or Bayley.”

Alexa’s fists clench by her sides, and she’s breathing tightly through her nose. Ember reaches out to comfort her but Alexa shakes Ember’s hand off her arm. Her eyes never leave Natalya’s. Ember glances at the other woman, who seems nowhere near backing down Natalya clearly isn’t going to stop until the air is finally cleared between all of them. But Ember doesn’t know if Alexa will stay long enough for that to happen.

“Do you even know how much you hurt Bayley last year? How many times she cried to Sasha or me after the show? She would always put on a strong face whenever she came out on Raw, but what you did was cruel. And you didn’t stop. It was relentless and spiteful and-”

Alexa finally seems to boil over and snarls, “I know what I did, alright? You don’t have to throw it in my face.”

“If you know what you did, then you know why all of us would question you being here!”

“No, I actually don’t!” Alexa snaps, “I’ve volunteered my time to help you guys, and the only thing I’ve gotten in return is attacked over and over!”

Natalya groans in frustration, “Because we can’t trust you! How can we trust someone that so clearly hates Sasha and Bayl-”

“Oh my God! You don’t know I feel!” Alexa shouts, frustration spilling over in a burst of anger from the continued attack.

As the argument between Natalya and Alexa continues, Ember tunes out. She gets stuck on Alexa’s last words, feeling as if she’s missing something important. If Alexa hates Bayley and Sasha so much, then why wouldn’t she just admit it? She’s had no trouble expressing her resentment of others in the past. Unless...Ember’s eyes widen.

“Nattie,” Ember speaks up suddenly, deciding the continued questioning of Alexa’s motives will not end well.

If Alexa does indeed feel how Natalya suspects she feels about either Sasha or Bayley, then she doesn’t need that thrown in her face in the middle of an argument. Ember needs to put a stop to this and direct the conversation back to the plan. But neither girl acknowledges the interruption from Ember, their yelling going uninterrupted.

“Alexa!” Ember calls out louder, but, again, neither girl pauses.

“GUYS!”

Both women suddenly go silent, turning to Ember with widened eyes.

“We’re not here to fight,” Ember firmly declares, “Nattie, we’ve already been over this. Alexa has actually been helping us the entire time. She hasn’t given us a single indication that she will betray us now.”

Natalya’s shoulders sink, and she lowers her head, feeling chastised. She’s usually the one to keep a calm head, but her protective streak with friends can cause her to act irrationally sometimes.

“And, Alexa,” Ember sighs, “You don’t always have to react to everything someone says or does. You can’t control other people, but you can control how you react to them.”

Alexa crosses her arms, feigning indifference to the words. But Ember is getting a little better at reading her friend, and she caught a momentary glimpse of shame on Alexa’s face. However, just like always, Alexa was able to almost instantly school her features, masking any vulnerability.

“We came here to plan, guys. Not fight.”

Natalya nods and takes a deep breath, deciding to be the bigger person.

“Alexa, I’m sorry,” Natalya says to the other woman, “Ember’s right. You’ve been helping us the entire time, and you volunteered your own time when no one asked you to. I won’t ask about your motivations again if we can just plan now.”

“Alexa,” Ember says pleadingly, “Come on.”

Alexa looks between the two before nodding stiffly, sitting back down on the bed without a word. Natalya and Ember release relieved sighs at once, both knowing everything could have ended right there.

“So, Nattie,” Ember speaks up cautiously, “You said that you think Alexa should kiss Bayley.”

Alexa stiffens again at the statement but makes no comment. Instead, she resumes picking at the bedsheets.

“Yeah,” Natalya watches Alexa out of the corner of her eye, “I think our best shot at drawing a rash confession from Sasha is watching Bayley kiss someone Sasha hates. No offense, Alexa.”

“None taken,” Alexa mutters quietly.

“It’s just,” Natalya sighs, “We’ve tried literally everything else. And this is the simplest option that I’ve pushed off the entire time.”

Ember nods, “I… agree. But it’s Alexa’s body, so the decision is up to her. Lexi?”

Alexa stays still for a moment, and Ember wonders if she was even listening to the conversation. After a few more moments, Alexa looks up from the sheets. Her facial expression is carefully blank when Ember sees her.

“Fine,” Alexa relents quietly, “I’ll do it.”

Natalya grins widely and pulls her phone from her pocket. Immediately, she begins typing out a message to who Ember presumes is Naomi. Ember turns to Alexa and sends her a grateful look. Alexa nods at her calmly, face still blank.

“I’ve got somewhere to be, though. So you guys can just come up with the rest of the plan, and Em can text me the details.”

Ember’s eyes narrow in confusion as Natalya looks up from her phone, surprised at the abrupt goodbye. Before either can respond, Alexa hastily makes her way out of the hotel. The door swings closed behind her.

“Em?” Natalya raises an eyebrow at Ember.

Ember rolls her eyes, “We’re friends.”

“Hm,” Natalya hums, “Maybe that’s true after all.”

After that, Natalya and Ember spend the next hour sorting out the rest of the details for the plan. When they’ve come up with a place and time, they finally feel satisfied with the entire plot. They both feel this one will surely be a winner.

It has to be.

 

X

 

In NXT, Sasha Banks taught Alexa the most important lesson of her life: In the wrestling world, being good is being weak. Doing the right thing leads to defeat. All the hard work in the world gets you nowhere if you let yourself be held back by character and morals. By lines you aren’t willing to cross.

If you want a dream, then you have to take it.

And to get it? You can’t let a single line get in your way.

Alexa keeps training with Bayley until an injury sidelines her. These thoughts linger in her head while she’s away, and they only come back in stronger force when she watches Bayley lose again in a Fatal Four-way match where Sasha Banks become NXT Women’s Champion. But, for a time, she’s able to push the thoughts to the side. She even earns herself a title match, but, again, loses to Sasha Banks.

Her frustration climbs to an all-time high. She feels like she’s losing her grasp on her dream.

Then, she meets two men: Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy.

They interfere in her match against Carmella, helping her pull out a victory in the process. They approach her backstage and propose a mutually beneficial relationship. They scratch her back, she scratches theirs. Simple. Easy.

But she would have to cross a line.

A line Bayley would not be happy with.

After her conversation with the boys, Alexa sets up one last training session with Bayley. She listens solemnly to her the entire time. Watches her sadly, eyes never wavering from the woman. She allows herself to linger in the tight hug Bayley gives her at the end.

But, then?

She walks away.

At NXT Takeover: Unstoppable, Alexa helps Wesley and Blake pick up the win. Bayley confronts her about it backstage, but Alexa shrugs her off. She avoids her backstage from that point forward, despite the attempts from Bayley to understand what’s happening.

When a dream really means something, you can’t let anything stop you. There can be no lines. No limits.

Bayley taught her there were lines. Morals that weren’t supposed to be violated, even if they restrict you. Especially when they restrict you.

Sasha Banks taught her that there were no lines.

If you wanted your dream, then you took it.

So, Alexa decided to take it.

 

X

 

After storming from the hotel room and down the hall, Sasha slams her finger into the elevator button. She taps her foot impatiently as the elevator slowly climbs up to her floor. When the doors finally slide open, Sasha stomps her way inside and hits the button to take her to the lobby. If Bayley thinks she’s coming back to that room after being effectively kicked out, then she has another thing coming.

Sasha’s jealousy has been stoked for weeks until it’s morphed into a blazing fire of rage and irrationality. She’s been blinded by her jealousy and has fully retreated into self-preservation. For weeks, she’s had the reality of one day losing Bayley shoved into her face. Something she has seen as inevitable from the start, but deliberately shoved from her mind.

She had to keep herself in denial, or she would fall apart totally. However, that has been made impossible over these weeks. And, Sasha has started to think that maybe it is a sign. Maybe something out there was trying to tell Sasha she was digging herself to deep. And when Bayley was gone, she wouldn’t be able to climb back out.

Maybe...maybe it was a sign that Sasha needed to cut her losses now. Protect herself as much as possible before it was too late.

And, clearly, Bayley didn’t really care if she left. She practically invited Sasha to walk out. Dared Sasha to leave. If Bayley wanted her, then she would have told Sasha to stay. Made Sasha stay. Made her talk it out until they solved things.

But clearly, Sasha was the only one who cared.

The door to the elevators slides back open again as Sasha is returned to the lobby. She makes her way over to the front desk and easily secures another room for the night. The hit to her bank account is worth not fighting with Bayley right now.

After receiving her keycard, Sasha makes her way up to her new room. She slides the card through the lock, hears the customary buzz, and enters an almost carbon copy of the room she left fifteen minutes ago. However, this time, Bayley is not waiting for her inside.

A deep loneliness courses through Sasha as she sets her stuff down in the empty, darkly lit room. She numbly proceeds through her nighttime routine, ending with finally climbing into bed for the night. Unable to get comfortable in the bed, Sasha tosses and turns, shifting around to find a comfortable spot.

She’s not used to sleeping alone.

Just as she finally settles into a half-decent position, her phone buzzes a single time.

Sasha jerks up and snatches her phone from the bedside table, quickly unlocking the phone and opening her messages.

Bayley.

Sasha reads the text desperately, wishing it would be Bayley asking her to come back.

‘Goodnight, Sasha.’

Tears well up in Sasha’s eyes, and a few slip out, landing on the bed sheets. Shakily, she responds to the message.

‘Goodnight, Bayley.’

Sasha places her phone down, and she cries into her pillow.

No one is there to hold her.

 

X

 

“So, we’re doing this at the WWE Christmas party?”

“Yes,” Natalya answers Naomi over the phone, “Ember and I are going to plant mistletoe around. We’re going to trap Bayley with Alexa under the mistletoe, so we’ll need someone to lead Bayley over there. And we need maybe Becky or Charlotte to keep Sasha distracted but close enough to see what’s going on.”

Naomi sighs, “About that…”

“What?”

“Well,” Naomi grimaces, “Becky and Charlotte kind of...quit.”

“They what?” Natalya asks, voice deadpan and unamused.

“Yeah,” Naomi confirms tentatively, “They didn’t like us using Alexa. I tried to convince them, but they wanted nothing to do with it.”

Natalya groans, “God, this just makes it more difficult.”

“I know,” Naomi agrees, tone trying comfort her stressed friend.

As the weeks have passed, Naomi has become distinctly aware of Natalya’s rising frustrations and disappointment. A plan that she thought would be so simple and beneficial to her friends has turned into an absolute disaster. That is why Naomi was so careful to take the job of informing the Smackdown women of the new plan. Naomi was certain there was going to be a fight and she thought it better for Natalya if they each took care of their own morons.

Even if Naomi has a few more idiots to deal with.

“I guess you’re just going to have to distract Sasha then,” Natalya declares.

Naomi hesitates, “I... I don’t know if that’s the best idea. We still have some trust issues after the Team B.A.D. split.”

Natalya raises her eyebrows in surprise, “You have a problem with Sasha?”

“No,” Naomi admits sadly, “But I think she still has a problem with me.”

Natalya pauses thoughtfully. She had never known too much about Sasha Banks during her Team B.A.D. tenure. And, although the two have gotten close in the past years, Sasha has never really talked about her time in Team B.A.D. with Natalya. Or, Natalya thinks back, spoken about Naomi much either.

“Tamina and I...really hurt her. We were like a family. We did everything together when Sasha first got pulled up to the main roster. We helped her adjust. Helped her make a new home here. And then we...left. Worse than that, we betrayed her,” Naomi reminiscences regretfully.

“Did you apologize?”

“Yeah,” Naomi quietly confirms, eyes downtrodden, “I called her one day. Surprised she answered. She forgave me, but we didn’t really speak much after. And, when I’ve seen her, I can just see it on her face. I broke her trust, and I don’t think I’ll ever really get it back.”

Natalya goes quiet, thinking over everything Naomi said. Naomi has always had a special place in Natalya’s heart, one of the only girls on the roster she doesn’t feel responsible for. There’s always been an ease to their friendship, a comfortable air. And Natalya hates to hear this deep regret spilling from Naomi.

Natalya nods to herself.

“I think you should do it,” Natalya reasserts firmly.

“What?”

Natalya presses on, “It’s been three years. In the WWE, that might as well be a decade. It’s time you guys work this out.”

“I don’t know,” Naomi says uncertainty.

“It’s going to be at a Christmas party, so Sasha is already going to be more relaxed than usual. And, if things aren’t going well, you only have to keep her distracted long enough for Alexa to kiss Bayley. It’s the perfect time, Naomi.”

There’s a pause as Naomi thinks it over. She really wants to fix things with Sasha, but Sasha is the type to burn bridges. Not rebuild them. And Naomi’s pride doesn’t like the uncertainty of showing vulnerability and being rejected in return. But, sometimes, we all have to do things we don’t like for the people we care about.

“Okay,” Naomi finally relents, “I’ll do it.”

Natalya smiles, “Awesome.”

A grin appears on Naomi as well, “But only for you.”

Natalya laughs, “Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”

The two friends laugh for a moment until a comfortable silence is reached on the phone.

“So, is there anything else we need to plan for?”

“I don’t think so,” Natalya confirms.

“Okay, good. Jimmy’s waiting up in bed for me, so I gotta go. Love you, girl. Say hi to Tyson for me.”

Natalya smiles softly, “Love you too. And Jimmy! When’s our next double date?”

Naomi’s lip quirks upward, “Whenever y’all get out here on the Smackdown side to see us!”

Natalya laughs, “See you at the Christmas party?”

“Yeah,” Naomi answers, “See ya then.”

 

X

 

When Bayley wakes up the morning of Raw, she feels completely unrested. Not feeling the usual weight on her side, she sleepily feels around the bed, looking for Sasha. After a few seconds, she remembers that Sasha is not here. That Sasha left. That Sasha ignored every attempt for Bayley to fix things, started another fight, and then ran out on her.

Now, Bayley had no idea where the woman went. She knows Sasha is alright. That was the purpose of the goodnight text. If Sasha texted back, then Bayley would at least know she’s okay. And that was important. Even though Bayley is seriously furious with her friend right now.

Without Sasha, the time before Raw passes by slowly. Drearily. She lays around in her room for a few hours before forcing herself to get up and work out. She grabs lunch, which she eats alone at the restaurant. She returns back to her room and slowly gets ready, packing up her gear for the show tonight. Then, she heads out to the arena early. Hoping to grab something from catering before the show starts.

As she is eating a small, assorted dinner at one of the catering tables, Natalya walks up to her smiling.

“Hey, Bayley. You and Sasha coming to this Christmas party tonight?”

Bayley frowns, in the mess of her argument with Sasha, she had completely forgotten about the company Christmas party thrown for both brands after Raw tonight.

“I don’t know. I kinda forgot about it, and I was planning on just going back to my room,” Bayley says glumly.

Bayley sees Natalya’s eyes dart around the room nervously, and she furrows her brow in confusion at the action. However, Natalya quickly focuses back on her, and Bayley brushes the action off.

“Aw, come on!” Natalya begs, a little too eagerly, “You have to come. It’s one of the only events put on for the staff each year! What does Sasha think?”

Bayley shuffles in her seat, eyes leaving Natalya, “I wouldn’t know.”

“What do you mean you wouldn’t know?” Natalya asks slowly.

“You saw the fight we had the other day,” Bayley replies glumly, using her fork to move her food around aimlessly.

“You guys still haven’t made up!?”

Bayley jumps from Natalya’s abrupt shout. Curious eyes of the few other wrestlers in the room subtly watch Natalya and Bayley.

“No,” Bayley says with a frown, “I tried. But you know how Sasha can be.”

Natalya sighs, silently agreeing with Bayley, but helpfully suggests, “Maybe you guys can fix things at the Christmas party tonight? I can make sure she’ll be there?”

Bayley looks up hopefully, “You’d do that?”

Natalya smiles kindly, placing her hand on Bayley’s shoulder, “Of course.”

Bayley bounces up cheerfully, mood lifted, and wraps Natalya in a tight hug. Natalya hugs her back, knowing her friend needs it right now.

Bayley lets go, stepping backward with a small grin, “Thanks, Nattie! You’re the best.”

Natalya smiles but lifts an eyebrow questioningly, “Are you going to fix it?”

A determined gleam appears in Bayley’s eye and she nods assuredly. “I’m gonna try.”

 

X

 

Alexa, Ember, and Natalya step out of the elevator and into the huge office space the WWE had rented out for the night. The place is filled to the brim with Christmas decorations while an extra special addition is tucked away in Natalya’s purse. While usually an office, WWE had very obviously had staff clean the room out, leaving only a wide open area for the event. There were tables filled with food, Christmas music playing, and a photo booth set up in the corner, with antlers and beards for superstars wanting silly Christmas pictures with friends.

Just as planned, the trio enters the party and catch up with some of their friends. However, after a few minutes of mingling, Ember and Natalya split from the group. Alexa watches them as the two discreetly locate and hang the mistletoe behind the drinks table. When they are caught, the two girls laugh it off with the superstar who spotted them and say that it’s all in good fun.

Alexa continues her conversation with Mickie and Dana until she spots Bayley walking out of the elevator. She swallows nervously, trying to jump back into the conversation with her friends. But she can’t help her eyes wandering off to find Bayley every few minutes. Preventing her from fully being engaged.

Alexa is staring at Bayley again when she suddenly notices something is missing. Sasha is not by Bayley’s side. Noting this as extremely unusual, Alexa subtly scans the room for her worst enemy. But the woman is nowhere to be found.

Confusion and curiosity overtaking her, Alexa excuses herself from her friends to search the room for Natalya, the woman most likely to know when something is amiss. After a few minutes of searching, she finds Natalya standing close to Naomi in the corner of the room. She immediately heads over to the two.

“Where’s Sasha?” Alexa interrupts rudely.

Naomi rolls her eyes, “We were just talking about that.”

“Okay,” Alexa says blankly, “Well, now we’re talking to me about it. Where is she?”

Natalya sighs, “I just texted her. She’s on her way inside right now, so I need us all to get into position. Naomi, greet her at the elevator. Alexa, I’ll get Bayley and lure her under the mistletoe. Just like we’ve planned, your role is to accidentally run into her, notice the mistletoe, and lay one on her. Everyone good?”

Both women nod.

“Alright,” Natalya nods seriously, “It’s go time.”

All three women disperse to their individual positions. Naomi makes her way over to the elevators and places herself casually in a position with a line of sight on the doors. Just as she settles into position, Naomi faintly hears the ding of the elevator arriving. Sasha steps out into the office. Immediately, Naomi notices her scanning the room worriedly. As she walks forward, Naomi steps in front of her.

Naomi forces what she knows is an awkward smile on her face, “Hi, Sash! How’ve you been?”

Sasha, who was still looking around the room, is barely able to stop herself before she runs directly into Naomi. Naomi notices her tense slightly as she realizes Naomi is talking to her. Naomi can’t help the sadness that washes over her at the action. She misses her old friend.

“Um, I’m doing alright. Have you seen Bayley?”

“Yeah, actually,” Naomi laughs nervously, “I think she’s over by the drinks. Hey, I can walk you over there.”

Sasha’s eyes narrow at her suspiciously before slowly replying, “Okaay.”

Naomi smiles again, and the two women walk over to the drinks table. Before they reach the table, Naomi notices Bayley and Natalya have not made it into their position yet. Slightly panicking, Naomi impulsively reaches out and grabs Sasha’s arm, pulling her to a halt in the middle of the party.

Sasha lifts an eyebrow, “Why are we stopping?”

Naomi glances back at the table and sees the women still aren’t over there. Okay, this is her chance. God herself is sending a sign. Time to build some new bridges.

“I- Sasha, are we okay?”

“What?”

Naomi sighs, “Look, I know that I apologized for everything a while ago, and you forgave me. But I still don’t think things have been resolved between us. Not completely.”

Sasha tenses up, breaking eye contact for a moment, “I forgave you. It’s fine. It’s done.”

“I don’t want it to be done. I miss my friend, Sash. I really do. And I was hoping that maybe, after three years, you might miss me a little bit too.”

Sasha stays quiet, stubbornness holding her back, but Naomi sees her eyes softening. And knows that she just might have an opening.

“Sasha, I’m really, seriously sorry. You were my best friend. We did everything together, and you didn’t deserve what I did. I miss you, Sash. Do you think we could ever move past this? Be friends again?”

Sasha’s eyes shift to the floor. She lingers there for a few moments while Naomi waits for her response anxiously. Eventually, Sasha looks back up.

“I-” Sasha begins softly, “I miss you too, Naomi.”

Relief courses through Naomi and her shoulders drop. A slight grin makes its way onto her face. She glances over Sasha’s shoulders, seeing that Natalya has guided Bayley and herself into place. Alexa is standing only a few feet away, watching Sasha and Naomi. Knowing now is their chance, Naomi looks back at Sasha.

“Thank you,” Naomi smiles and holds out her arms for a hug.  
Naomi spots a happy smile on Sasha before she moves forward and hugs her shortly. When they pull back, Naomi grins.

“Do you wanna go find Bayley now?”

The mood shifts for Sasha quickly. Nerves seem to prick back through Sasha at the mention of Bayley. She nods shakily.

“Okay, let’s go.”

Sasha turns back around, and the two women begin to make their way closer to the drink table. Naomi watches Alexa purposefully stride forward until she slams into Bayley’s side.

 

X

 

Breaking off from the two women, Natalya begins to make her way back through the party. She quickly shrugs off friends that spot her as she searches through the crowd for Bayley. Spotting her gathering some food, Natalya makes an immediate beeline for her friend.

“Hey, Bayley! You talked to Sasha yet?”

“No,” Bayley says through a mouthful of food, “Do you know where she is?”

Natalya grimaces at the sight of Bayley talking while she chews. She really does work with children. But … they’re her children.

“Actually, yeah,” Natalya grins, “I just spoke to her over by the drink table. I think she’d still be there if we headed back.”

Bayley beams and piles more food into her mouth, “Awesome. Let’s go!”

“Um…” Natalya interjects awkwardly, “Why don’t we let you finish your food before you try to talk to Sasha?”

Bayley’s eyes widen, and she nods. She finishes her plate in record time, and Natalya makes sure she has swallowed all of it before they head to the drinks table. Even Alexa doesn’t deserve to kiss Bayley with a mouth full of half-chewed food.

As they arrive at the drink table, Bayley instantly notices the lack of Sasha. She glances around the area worriedly before turning back to Natalya.

“I don’t see Sasha. You think she walked off?”

“Hold on. Let me text her and ask where she went.”

Natalya grabs her phone out, and Bayley peers down at the screen alongside her. Then, out of the corner of her eye, Natalya sees Alexa directly collide with Bayley.

 

X

 

As Alexa makes her way over to the drink table, she feels her anxiety begin to climb. Uncontrollably, her mind wanders back to her early NXT days. She remembers meeting Bayley for the first time. Her first training session with Bayley. The first time Bayley hugged her. She remembers believing in Bayley, and Bayley believing in her. But, both of them always losing more than they won.

Alexa settles into her position by the drinks, and her mind finally shifts to their last training session. The same ache she felt in her chest on that day suddenly reappears. Reawakens inside her. And she curses herself.

Ever since joining this stupid group, she could feel herself slowly softening. Becoming more helpful. Giving suggestions. Trying to subtly nudge Becky and Charlotte back together (and failing). Her friendship with Ember.

All of it had been pulling some of the old Alexa Bliss back out. The part of Alexa she thought she had killed when she walked away from Bayley at their last training session. She had stomped on all of the good parts of herself to belong here. Left them all in the dust.

No lines.

Any extent to win.

And, at the end of the day, what did any of that really get her?

No matter how many times Alexa has beaten Sasha, Bayley, Becky, or any of the other girls in those locker rooms, Sasha still doesn’t think she belongs here. Alexa knows there are plenty of wrestlers in the back who will never accept her presence. All because Alexa didn’t dream of being a wrestler as a kid. Because Alexa hadn’t watched as much WWE television as them. Didn’t spend years working through the indies.

They all looked at her as some kind of invader. A person who could never understand what it truly meant to love wrestling.

But Alexa understood.

Wrestling was the only true passion she’s ever had. And it’s not fair that Sasha, Bayley, or anyone else in the back discard her for discovering that passion years after they did.

Not when it’s the only real thing Alexa has ever felt.

Bayley walks into her line of sight.

Well, maybe not the only real thing she’s ever felt. Maybe there was a chance of something. Once. But Alexa killed it for her first real dream.

And, now?

Now, she finally has to confront it.

Before she can back out, Alexa strides forward purposefully until she crashes into Bayley’s side.

Both girls stumble slightly, and Alexa hears Bayley let out a shocked “Woah!”

After both women steady themselves, Alexa looks up at Bayley. Without either woman noticing, Natalya had silently slipped off. Simultaneously, Naomi and Sasha had moved to give them a clear view of Bayley and Alexa.

“Alexa?” Bayley furrows her eyebrows.

Swallowing tightly, Alexa looks up and pretends to be surprised by the sight of mistletoe. She points up at the mistletoe and smiles at Bayley coyly. No turning back.

“Tradition is tradition,” Alexa smirks.

Before Bayley can react, Alexa reaches forward, grabs Bayley’s by her shirt, and slams their lips together. Bayley is completely frozen, presumably in shock, but Alexa pushes further into the kiss.

Before the kiss ends, a night sky comes to life behind Alexa’s eyes. Stars. Bright stars shining. Alexa thinks that maybe they might look nice if she painted them.

Then, she feels a body collide with hers and suddenly she’s not clutching Bayley’s shirt anymore. She’s colliding with the ground. Pain splits through her as her head smacks the floor. Instinctively, Alexa rolls onto her back to see who is on top of her and finds an irate Sasha Bank straddling her.

Alexa’s eyes widen as she sees a fist coming directly for her face.

But, before Sasha can punch Alexa, she’s lifted directly into the air. Alexa props herself up on her shoulders, chest heaving. One of her hands moves to cradle the back of her hand. Instead of punching her, Sasha is now struggling to get out of Bayley’s grasp.

Worrying that she might break loose, Alexa pushes herself backward until she’s against the wall and slides herself into a standing position.

“Bayley,” Sasha growls wildly, “Let the fuck go of me!”

“No,” Bayley assertively declares, “You’re acting insane! What the hell is wrong with you?”

Sasha whips around in Bayley’s arms to face her.

“What the hell is wrong with me!? No, what the hell is wrong with you,” Sasha spits, shoving her finger right into Bayley’s chest, “Why the fuck are you kissing Alexa!?”

A small crowd of concerned wrestlers has started to gather around them. Alexa is sure it's only a minute before someone interferes and breaks this up. People may love a dramatic fight, especially when some of the audience is a little past tipsy, but this is a Christmas party. And nothing ruins the festivity quiet like a raging blowout argument.

“I didn’t kiss her! She kissed me!” Bayley throw her hands up defensively, breaking her hold on Sasha and stepping backward.

“Well, then she deserved it!” Sasha accuses, hurt burning hot in her chest.

“The middle of a Christmas party is not the time to attack someone! She’s probably just drunk!”

“Oh!” Sasha shouts, fire blazing behind her eyes, “So, now you’re going to defend her? Over me? Is that it!?”

Bayley looks at her with wide, disbelieving eyes and glances around nervously at the crowd around her, “Sasha, you’re being ridiculous. We’re at a party. Let’s just discuss this back in our roo-”

Sasha laughs wildly, “So, now it’s our room? I slept ALONE last night, Bayley! I have my own room.”

Anger courses through Bayley once again, “You went and got your own room. I never left.”

Sasha hisses, “I wanted you to tell me to stay. You SAID to leave, Bayley.”

“Are you serious!?” Bayley hollers angrily, “You were already leaving! You told me to let you go! I’m not a mindreader, Sasha!”

Sasha, seeing red at this point, snaps back, “If you actually cared, then you would have made me stay! God, I bet you were just waiting for me to leave. Maybe this kiss with Alexa wasn’t the first time, and you’ve been running around behind my back for months. God knows enough girls have been throwing themselves at you for the past few weeks.”

“Why do you care? Why does it fucking matter who throws themselves at me? God, Sasha, you don’t OWN me.”

Bayley’s own confusion and anger builds up. Sasha has been acting irrationally for weeks. She snapped at Carmella. She snapped at Bayley. Then, she ran out on her. Twice. She left Bayley behind. Twice. And, now? She has the audacity to blame Bayley for all of this? To get angry at Bayley for being kissed without her permission? For having some hypothetical relationship with some random girl?

Impulsively, pushed to her very limit, Bayley snaps, “I could have invited anyone in our room that night after you left, and it would be none of your business.”

The argument freezes entirely. Sasha looks as if she’d been slapped. For an instant, Bayley catches hurt, pain, and fear flash in Sasha’s eyes. But, a moment later, her face goes carefully blank. Her expression now tightly controlled.

Bayley’s eyes widen, regret coursing through her once she notices Sasha’s reaction. All the anger drains from her instantly, and she takes a step toward Sasha.

“Sash…” Bayley calls out softly. Pleadingly.

But Sasha’s face is a mask. Bayley is looking into eyes she hasn’t seen in years.

Then, without a word, Sasha turns. And storms out of the party. Going straight past the elevator and into the stairwell.

Bayley looks down at the ground, tears welling up in her eyes.

Sasha is gone.

 

X

 

A procession of girls files into Natalya’s room later that night.

For the first time, no one is late. They all left the party together. Everyone is silent. They take their seats without a word. Natalya follows the last of the girls into the room and stands in front of them. Her makeup is smudged from tears, and she looks exhausted. She looks down at the floor, unable to look any of them in the eye.

“I’m sorry,” Natalya whispers into the room, voice scratchy.

Pain and regret are palpable in her words. The girls look at her sadly, some looking worse for wear than others. But all upset by the events that had unfolded earllier in the night.

Naomi speaks softly, “Nattie-”

“No,” Natalya interrupts weakly, “Don’t comfort me. Not after everything that happened last night. This is my fault. I did this to them.”

The last word comes out in a hoarse sob as tears fall from Natalya’s eyes. Naomi pushes herself up from the bed and wraps her arms around Natalya as she cries. Forcing her own tears back, she holds her friend tight, knowing she has to stay strong.

Carmella rises from her seat, walking over to the women she now sees as her family and joining the embrace. Natalya looks up at her tearfully, nodding in thanks. Carmella whispers, “Of course.”

Next, Asuka gets up. Squeezing herself into the hug beside Naomi. Naomi wraps an arm around Asuka and tugs her into her side.

Ember joins the hug, kissing the side of Natalya’s head. Billie and Peyton join the group next, small, understanding smiles being exchanged between Naomi and them.

Finally, it is only Alexa remaining on the bed. She looks at the group longingly, hesitation preventing her from joining them. Not sure if she belongs. Not sure if she’s wanted.

Suddenly, Ember pulls herself from Natalya’s neck and looks over at Alexa. She smiles at her encouragingly and nods her head as a gesture for Alexa to join. Tears sting Alexa’s eyes. She hesitates for a moment longer before slowly rising.

Ember makes a spot beside her where Alexa squeezes into the group hug. Ember wraps an arm around Alexa. On the other side, Peyton smiles at her and rests her head on top of Alexa. Alexa looks up and meets Natalya’s eyes. For a moment, she’s worried. Out of them all, surely Natalya will reject her.

But instead, she’s met with a half-smile.

“Thank you.”

A few tears fall from Alexa’s eyes.

The girls all hold onto each other tightly, all still filled with sorrow by the destruction their well-intentioned plans have caused. All feeling the distinct absence of Becky and Charlotte.

But they are comforting each other. Holding each other up. Supporting each other.

Like a family.

After what is surely a minute, Natalya slowly pulls herself back from the embrace, no longer crying. She nods gratefully at all of the girls while they return to their seats. Once again, the room is silent.

“So,” Peyton says quietly, “How are we going to fix this?”

Natalya feels tears well up again but swallows, pushing them back, “I think...we’ve tried too hard to fix things. And maybe we need to stop. Stop making things worse.”

Several other girls in the room nod sorrowfully. Peyton seems upset by the words, and Billie gently tugs her girlfriend to rest on her shoulder, running her fingers through Peyton’s hair to comfort her.

“So, what do we do now?” Ember asks the group.

“The only thing we can do,” Naomi answers honestly, “Let things be. Pray. Hope for the best.”

“But what if nothing gets fixed?”

Surprisingly, the question comes from Alexa. Natalya looks at her sadly.

“Then, we have to live with that.”

The words again throw the room into a heavy silence. Several of the girls begin to sniffle. Regret fills the entire room, weighing every one of the girls down. They all think about what they might have ruined. For Sasha. For Bayley.

They may have meant well.

But, sometimes, in the end, intentions don’t matter. Only results. Consequences.

And they have to live with what they’ve done.

The silence in the room is broken again. However, this time, not by a voice. Instead, there is a loud, insistent knock on the door. Several of the girls jump at the sound. Natalya and Naomi shoot questioning glances at each other.

The harsh pounding on the door repeats.

Natalya nods at Naomi, then makes her way over to the door. She pulls the door open, and a body barrels past her, crashing into the room. Natalya doesn’t have the time to realize who it is. However, another person stands resolutely on the other side.

Natalya’s gaze lands on Charlotte. Standing firmly in the doorway. Stubbornness and authority shining in her eyes.

A furious voice yells from within the room, “What. The. Fuck. Is going on in here.”

Natalya’s eyes widen.

That voice could only belong to one person.

Turning from Charlotte, Natalya rushes back into her room and sees the woman who pushed past her.

Sasha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHH!!!! 
> 
> Well...everything pretty much went to shit.
> 
> Baysha exploded. The girls are done. And... Sasha showed up in the middle of their meeting???
> 
> I guess we'll have to wait for the final chapter to see what Sasha has to say. And how everything gets resolved...
> 
> Thank you guys so much for reading! And please, do not kill me for this chapter!


	7. Game Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of the line.
> 
> No more plans.
> 
> No more lying.
> 
> Only the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, we've reached the end.
> 
> And hopefully it's a satisfying one.
> 
> Thank you all for reading and supporting!
> 
> As always, shameless plug: My tumblr is bisexualshrug.

Bayley fell in love with Sasha Banks sitting on a couch with a box of pizza in her lap.

It was July 25, 2016, and Bayley was watching Monday Night Raw in her apartment. After their tag team match at Battleground, Sasha was set to get her earned title match on tonight’s Raw. Bayley was beyond ecstatic to watch her best friend finally win the big one. And she knew Sasha would. Had no doubt in her mind.

She never doubted Sasha.

Her passion could carry her anywhere, and Bayley knew it would carry her to the Raw Women’s Championship tonight. Bayley was so thrilled that she was almost vibrating with excitement on her couch. She ordered pizza earlier so she could eat during the show. When Bayley heard the opening of “Sky’s the Limit” and saw Sasha make her entrance, Bayley grinned widely through a mouth full of pizza.

Sasha had always known how to make an entrance.

Of course, Bayley thought, a woman that beautiful couldn’t help but draw attention.

From people who were interested. Which, Bayley was not. Because Sasha was her best friend. And Bayley didn’t want to date her. She just wanted to hold Sasha’s hand and squeeze her until Sasha told her to let go.

And make Sasha happy.

But those were all normal things that people just wanted to do with their best friends. And right now, Bayley was watching to support her friend. She had already called her before the match, and Sasha had made her promise to watch. So, here she is. Sitting on her couch. In pajamas. Eating pizza and watching Raw.

The entire match Bayley is on the edge of her seat. Both of these women are amazing and talented. Bayley is positive that, years from now, both will find themselves in the WWE Hall of Fame. And Bayley is so grateful to be able to watch this live. But, more importantly, she needs to see Sasha win. To finally get the win she deserves. Take the belt that will tell the world what Bayley already knows.

Sasha is the best.

But, the match has Bayley extremely worried. There are some points that Sasha looks so hurt Bayley is terrified she might not get back up.

But she always does.

And, after what feels like years, Bayley takes a bite of her pepperoni pizza just as Charlotte taps out to the Bank Statement. A loud cheer muffled by the large amount of half-chewed pizza in her mouth erupts from Bayley. She bounces in her seat, grabbing her pizza box seconds before it falls from her lap in the commotion.

Bayley mindlessly takes another bite of her pizza as she watches with shiny eyes as a referee hands Sasha the Raw Women’s Championship.

Her championship.

Sasha is on her knees staring at the belt, tears streaming down her face. Pride and happiness swell in Bayley’s chest. There’s one thought that flashes through Bayley’s mind at that moment. It appears so quickly that Bayley doesn’t even have time to register the significance of it until afterward.

Staring at Sasha on her TV, Bayley proudly thinks, ‘That’s my girl.’

It’s a few seconds after when Bayley is bringing her pizza back up to her mouth, that she registers her thought. Immediately, the pizza drops from her hand, falling back into the box. She stares at the screen frozen, harshly gulping down the remaining pizza in her mouth.

Sasha is celebrating with a crowd that is united behind her. Her smile is wider than anything Bayley has ever seen. Her hair is messy and her makeup is smeared.

But, God, Sasha has never looked so beautiful.

And Bayley…

Bayley is in love with her.

She looks at Sasha on her television screen with new eyes. In a different light.

Almost as if she was looking at her for the very first time.

 

X

 

The night before the Christmas party, according to their agreement, Naomi had informed Charlotte of the details of their new plan. Charlotte hated it. Absolutely disapproved and voiced her protests loudly to Naomi. But she went ignored.

The only thing Naomi told her was that she chose to leave the group, so she doesn’t get an opinion anymore.

But Charlotte was furious.

Completely distrusting. Knowing how this would make Sasha feel. Knowing how much Sasha couldn’t stand Alexa. Knowing how far they had pushed Sasha over the past few weeks.

Free of the influence of the group, Charlotte had some time to reflect and think about their actions. And the more she thought, the more her worry for Sasha grew. Looking back, Charlotte could clearly see how much they had pushed her over the past few months.

She feels ashamed that it has taken her so long to recognize the damage and pain they are inflicting on their friends. The insecurity and the distrust. The paranoia and gripping fear. Charlotte tries to put herself in Sasha’s shoes, and a sick feeling appears deep in her gut.

As much as Sasha tries to disguise it, she’s an extremely sensitive person. She’s never had that much in her life, and that makes her fiercely protective of everything she does have now. But, it’s not the protective instinct the group has been unintentionally targeting. They aren’t making Sasha territorial and ready to stake a claim.

They are terrifying her.

It took Charlotte a long time to realize it, but she shares a lot in common with Sasha. She thinks that might be why the competition between them has been so fierce. But there has always been one striking dissimilarity.

Sasha came from nothing.

And, sometimes, people who come from nothing have one fear: going back.

From the beginning, the purpose of this plan was to make Sasha angry and possessive enough to snap. To lash out impulsively and finally put her feelings out in the open in the process. But, despite Sasha’s reactions, they haven’t really been provoking Sasha’s short temper.

They’ve been reminding her of her deepest insecurity. Her worst fear.

Losing Bayley.

Since their reunion during the summer, Charlotte has watched as Sasha’s confidence in her relationship with Bayley soared. The few remaining walls she had with Bayley came crumbling down. Watching their interactions on Raw surprised Charlotte every week. She had never seen this softer side of Sasha before. Never knew it existed at all.

But, here she has been for months, showing it on television every week for the world to see.

All for Bayley.

Because Sasha loves Bayley. Adores Bayley. Charlotte watched in disbelief as that love practically bursts through the screen every time Sasha looks at her.

Bayley had given her the confidence to be that open. To love Bayley that freely. To be open, soft, and affectionate.

And Charlotte, alongside the other girls?

The only thing they had been doing is stripping that confidence away. Making damn sure every week that Sasha was reminded that Bayley wasn’t hers. That Bayley was something she could lose. Something that someone could take from her.

All of these well-intentioned plans?

They were ruining Sasha.

And watching Bayley kiss another woman?

Charlotte thinks that might just destroy her.

She has to do something.

 

X

 

When Natalya opens the door, Sasha roughly shoves past her to break her way into the room. She storms in on a mission, and she sees the group of women gathered around the beds. Her red-hot rage prevents her from recognizing the teary eyes of several of the girls.

Sasha scans the room, anger spiking further upon noticing Carmella, Alexa, and Naomi.

“What. The. Fuck. is going on in here,” Sasha snarls darkly.

The women in the room stay quiet, too shocked at the abrupt appearance to offer any response. None of them could have planned for this. There was no forewarning. No advanced notice. But Sasha is here. And she looks ready to explode.

Sasha laughs sarcastically, “Alright. Okay. If there’s no answer, I’ll just take a shot in the dark and guess why you guys are here.”

Naomi stands from the bed and gently says, “Sasha..”

“No,” Sasha’s wild, furious eyes land on Naomi and she points an accusing finger at the woman, “Don’t you dare talk to me right now. Last night, you apologized for betraying me while stabbing me in the back AGAIN. And you expect what? For me to sit here and speak with you calmly? Fuck you, Naomi!”

“That’s not fair,” Naomi responds, trying to keep her voice even, “We were only trying to help.”

“HELP? Well thank you so much for all your generous help,” Sasha says mockingly, “How can I ever repay you? Oh, wait. I know.”

Sasha steps forward before anyone can react. Lightning quick, her right hand swings forward and slaps Naomi directly across the face. Not waiting a moment after, Sasha shoves Naomi back and tries to follow after her. Before she can get her hands on Naomi again, several of the other women react, leaping to their feet.

Natalya, who had rushed back into the room, grabs Sasha by the waist to hold her back. Ember and Asuka also spring into action, attempting to hold back the irate, broken woman as well. Sasha is shoving and clawing at them, desperately trying to break loose from their grips. Arms and legs swinging, trying to connect with some of these girls if she can’t reach Naomi.

“Sasha,” Natalya firmly yells, arms struggling to contain her friend, “Calm down.”

An elbow flies at Natalya’s head, and she’s barely able to dodge it in time. Asuka grabs the loose arm and pins it to her side. A harsh kick lands below Ember’s knee, and she almost collapses. However, the three women hold strong. Sasha continues to thrash around in their hold, angry expletives flying from her mouth.

Charlotte quickly makes her way in front of Sasha. She wanted to be honest with her friend, but she never wanted things to go down like this.

“Sasha,” Charlotte commands her attention, authority strong in her words.

Sasha is breathing heavily, anger radiating through her but she looks at Charlotte.

“You need to calm down. We are in a hotel, and someone might call the police. If you get arrested, especially for putting your hands on another WWE employee, we don’t know how Vince or Hunter will react. You could get suspended or lose your job.”  
Sasha seems to stop thrashing for a moment at the words, some of the fight draining from her. The relaxation causes the three women holding her to loosen their grips slightly, thinking Charlotte has ended this potential disaster early.

“Okay, good,” Charlotte breathes.

Sasha breathes through her nose, attempting to let some of her anger dissipate. Out of the corner of her eye, she spots Alexa on the bed a few feet from her. Memories of her kissing Bayley flash into her mind. Her anger flares higher than before. The loosened grip allows her to abruptly break free from the hold, and she leaps toward Alexa on the bed.

Grabbing Alexa roughly by her ankles, she yanks her down the bed and grips her hair roughly. The woman shrieks and attempts to move away, but Sasha’s grip on her hair and arm pushing into her abdomen prevents her. Sasha releases her hair and rears back with her fist.

“SASHA!”

The booming shout from Charlotte causes Sasha to freeze for a moment. But the moment passes quickly before Sasha’s fist shoots down toward Alexa’s face. Panicking, Charlotte shouts out the first thought that comes to her mind.

“What would Bayley think right now?”

The words seem to connect as Sasha’s fist freezes inches from Alexa’s face. Charlotte pushes forward, seeing an opening.

“How would Bayley feel if she knew you got suspended over this? What would she do, Sash? Without you there?”

Sasha’s hand falls to her side. The tension and fear drains from Alexa and she attempts to squirm out from under Sasha’s arm. However, Sasha’s elbow digging into Alexa’s stomach holds the woman there, and Sasha is still glaring fiercely at her. Alexa’s eyes dart around the room nervously, silently pleading for help from the other girls.

Sasha hisses angrily, “Bayley doesn’t care if I’m here anymore, and it’s all of your faults.”

Charlotte sighs, “You know that’s not true. Bayley would be in this room right now if she knew what was going on.”

Sasha unexpectedly releases Alexa and her eyes flash around the room, “No one is telling Bayley anything.”

The anger is still strong in her words but there seems to be a disguised undercurrent of worry detectable in her tone. Sasha seems clearly panicked at the prospect of Bayley finding out the details of their plans. Charlotte can guess she worries Bayley would realize Sasha’s feelings for her in the process.

“None of us are telling Bayley. But, I think it would only be fair for her to know. She was being manipulated too.”

Naomi rises back to her feet at Charlotte’s words, irritation prominent on her face, “We weren’t manipulating nobody. We were trying to help.”

Sasha takes a step toward Naomi again until Charlotte places an arm in front of her.

Allowing herself to be stopped for the moment, Sasha snaps back, “What do you call tonight then? You set up everything and moved Bayley and me around like pawns. Forced a kiss on Bayley she didn’t want. And you made sure that I was there to see it. I want you in the ring tomorrow where I can kick your ass and get paid for it. You bitch.”

Naomi takes a deep breath and lowly warns, “Be careful what you ask for, Sasha.”

“I’m not gonna be careful when I knock your ass out in the ring, and they have to carry you out on a stretcher in front of Jimmy,” Sasha spits ferociously.

Naomi takes a few steps forward before Natalya gently places a hand on her arm, “No one is fighting. We can talk this out if we all just calm down.”

Sasha’s eyes flash, “Don’t you dare tell me to calm down. You started all of this. This is all your fucking fault, Natalya.”

Natalya looks stricken at the words, and tears spring into her eyes again. Naomi notices the pain on Natalya’s face and rushes to defend her.

“Don’t talk to her like that. She was only trying to help you.”

Sasha rages, “I don’t need anyone’s help! I don’t need any of you involved in MY business or MY friendship with Bayley. So maybe Natalya should worry about her own life before butting into mine!”

“She’s worrying about your life because she cares about you, you idiot! All she wanted to do was make you happy!”

Sasha scoffs, “She wanted to make me happy? Well, she did a damn good job of it. I’m grinning so hard that sunshine might as well be pouring out of my ass!”

Naomi glowers at Sasha, “Maybe if you got your head out of your ass and told Bayley how you really feel, then you would have a smile on your face right now.”

Sasha’s eyes darken at the insinuation, “You don’t know anything about how I feel.”

“Guys,” Natalya attempts to interrupt.

“No,” Naomi pushes back at her friend, “I’m not gonna sit here and baby her when she’s acting like a bitch. Sasha, you’re in love with Bayley. And it’s not our fault that you’re too much of a coward to tell her how you feel.”

Sasha growls and pushes past Charlotte until she’s standing inches from Naomi.

“Call me a coward one more time, Naomi.”

Naomi’s eyes narrow into a glare and she opens her mouth to respond before Charlotte pushes between the two, facing Sasha.

“Sash,” Charlotte interrupts, “I told you everything so you could fix things with Bayley. Not so you could fight all of your friends.”

Sasha looks down, angrily huffing, “They aren’t my friends.”

“Sasha,” Natalya says pleadingly, “I never wanted things to turn out like this. You and Bayley are my best friends. My family.”

Sasha stiffens at the words from Natalya, staring hard at the floor. Wanting to be understood, Natalya pushes forward. She needs Sasha to understand why she did all this. Not to hurt Sasha. But for Sasha.

“I just wanted you two to be happy. Sasha, I am so sorry.”

Sasha looks up at Natalya, a blank expression on her face. Her eyes are hesitant but guarded. A few tears fall from Natalya’s eyes at this point, regret coursing through her. Wanting to fix this but not knowing how.

She chokes out, “You have to believe me, Sasha. I love you guys. I would never want to hurt you.”

Sasha stares at Natalya for a few moments longer, tension draining from her shoulders. The room of women watch her with bated breath. The whirlwind of anger and fighting has finally seemed to drain from Sasha, and everyone is waiting for her next move.

Sasha mutters, “Everyone except for Natalya and Charlotte. Get the hell out of here.”

The women hesitate, looking around nervously at each other. Naomi looks at Natalya, who nods slowly. Accepting the decision, Naomi places a supportive hand on Natalya’s shoulder before turning and making her way out of the room. The other women, noticing Naomi’s exit, file out behind her until only Sasha, Natalya, and Charlotte are left inside.

When the door swings closed behind the last woman, the three stand in silence for a moment. Natalya gazes sadly at Sasha, heartbroken at what she has done to her friend. After a few more seconds, Sasha looks up. But, instead of the anger Natalya expected, Sasha’s face was contorted in pain.

“Why would you do this to me?”

Tears of regret again spring into Natalya’s eyes. She takes a step closer to Sasha, but she backs away from her.

“Sasha…” Natalya utters despondently, her every instinct telling her to comfort her friend.

But she doesn’t know how. Doesn’t know if Sasha will accept her comfort now. Or if she’ll ever accept it again.

“Why? We were doing so good. We were so happy. I was finally-”

Sasha’s voice cracks in the middle of her sentence, and she breaks eyes contact with Natalya. She focuses on a spot on the ceiling, and her arms wrap around her own waist, as if to shield herself from the two women left in the room.

“I know,” Natalya assures, wiping tears from underneath her eyes, “I’m so sorry, Sasha. I just wanted to make you guys even happier. I knew that you wanted- that she wanted-”

“She doesn’t want me,” Sasha interrupts quietly, hopelessness and vulnerability coating her voice.

Once again, Natalya takes a single step toward her friend. This time, Sasha doesn’t back up, instead only wrapping her arms tighter around herself. She’s shifted her gaze from the ceiling to stare down at her own shoes, unable to look Natalya in the eye.

“She does,” Natalya urges desperately, “If I thought for a single second that Bayley didn’t love you just as much as you love her, then I never would have done any of this. Sasha, Bayley loves you too.”

“No. No. No,” Sasha repeats, tears now visibly sliding down her face, “Don’t- don’t say that. I can’t- I can’t- Natalya. I can’t. I lost her. I made her leave. She doesn’t-.”

As Sasha begins to break down, Natalya is unable to stop herself from quickly closing the distance between them. She immediately pulls Sasha into her arms as sobs begin to shake her body. Natalya holds the woman up, maneuvering Sasha to cry into her shoulder. Natalya rests her head on top of Sasha’s and closes her eyes, attempting to stay strong for Sasha and hold back her own tears.

“Shh,” Natalya hushes her gently, “It’s gonna be alright.”

Sasha’s cries only get louder. Charlotte watches from the side sadly, quietly moving to sit on the bed.

“It’s okay. It’s Bayley. She’s not going anywhere. You haven’t lost her, Sasha. I promise.”

Sasha hiccups, barely able to get words out through her sobs, “She- she let me leave. She didn’t- didn’t come after me. Hasn’t called. She- she doesn’t c-care, Nattie. Doesn’t care about me anymore. Doesn’t want me.”

“No, sweetie. No,” Nattie urges, “Of course she cares. I think everyone just needed to cool off. She’s gonna come back, alright? I know she will. You’re going to be okay. It’s all gonna be fixed, honey.”

Natalya continues to speak soothing words into the room, allowing Sasha to cry on her as long as she needs. After what feels like a few more minutes, Sasha’s crying shows no sign of stopping. Natalya moves them both to sit on the bed, careful not to move Sasha from her shoulder.

Natalya rests her head on top of Sasha’s again, rubbing her back in gentle circles.

“Shhhh. It’s all going to be alright, Sasha. It’s okay.”

“I love her so much,” Sasha cries hoarsely, “I just want her here. Please, Nattie. Please.”

Natalya continues rubbing her back and looks at Charlotte imploringly. Charlotte shrugs her shoulders, not sure of Bayley’s whereabouts. Even though she might know who Bayley is with, Charlotte doesn’t share the information yet. Not sure if Sasha can handle seeing Bayley in her current state.

Natalya looks back down at Sasha, “I don’t know where she is, honey. But, I promise, we will find Bayley later. Let’s just worry about you right now. Then, we’ll get Bayley for you. Is that okay?”

Sasha nods into her shoulder, cries still leaving her. Natalya turns her head, pressing a kiss into Sasha’s hair. Natalya and Charlotte look at each other sadly, unsure how long Sasha will continue to cry.

However, after a few more minutes, Sasha’s cries begin to slow. Eventually, they temper off completely, and Sasha pulls back from Natalya’s embrace. She swipes the few remaining tears from under her eyes and shrinks slowly away from Natalya. Silence falls between the women as Sasha looks down at the bed. She picks at the bedsheets, a clear attempt to avoid making eye contact with either of the other women in the room.

“I didn’t mean to cry like that.”

Natalya frowns, “It’s okay. You don’t have to explain it. I know you’re hurting right now.”

Sasha nods her head minutely, muttering, “You know this doesn’t mean I forgive you, right?”

Natalya’s eyes close tightly at the question. She prepared herself for this kind of rejection if Sasha found out, but it still stings a lot more than Natalya thought it would. Sasha has almost become like a little sister to Natalya throughout the years. She was so stupid. She let this get out of control, and she never stopped to think about how it was making Sasha feel.

She was so selfish.

“I know,” Natalya answers quietly, “but I just want you to know that I’m sorry. I wanted to help, but I never stopped to think if any of this is what you wanted. And I should have. I shouldn’t have tried to interfere in your life. It was wrong.”

Sasha looks up at her for the first time since she pulled away. She nods at Natalya, accepting the explanation without quite being ready to forgive her. She stands from the bed, looking at Charlotte and nodding her head toward the door. Charlotte rises from the other bed, silently agreeing to leave.

Before they can exit, Natalya gently grasps Sasha’s wrist, “You know she’s going to come back to you, right? She always will.”

Sasha glances at Natalya’s hand on her wrist, remaining silent. She’s never been more unsure of anything in her life. The way Bayley spoke to her...she sounded exhausted. Fed up. Through. And it’s all Sasha’s fault.

“Maybe when she comes back...you should be honest with her. You might be surprised by her reaction.”

When Sasha doesn’t respond again, Charlotte interrupts, “Come on, Sash. I think we’ve all had a long night. It’s time to get some rest.”

Natalya frowns, almost wanting to stop the two from leaving. If Sasha leaves, then Natalya isn’t sure how long she might have to wait for Sasha to speak to her again. For Sasha to forgive her. But, she has interfered too much recently. And now is not the time to hold Sasha back.

Sasha nods at Charlotte but lingers for a moment.

Natalya feels Sasha’s thumb stroke the back of her hand lightly before pulling away and leaving the room.

Maybe there’s some hope after all.

 

X

 

Over the past few weeks, Becky has had a lot of time to think. The schedule of a WWE superstar is always a little lighter in December, and that has left Becky with an unusual amount of free time. And, instead of using that free time to exercise or roast Ronnie on Twitter, she’s spent most of her hours thinking about something else- someone else, entirely.

Ever since leaving that gas station, Becky hasn’t been able to stop thinking about Charlotte Flair.

_____

“Can you accept that?”

“If you ever find out...let me know.”  
_______

For the longest time, Becky did accept that. When Charlotte came to Smackdown, Becky had her guard up. After everything that went down between the two on Raw, Becky wasn’t willing to be stabbed in the back again. It almost killed her the first time, and she didn’t think she could handle losing Charlotte twice.

Because, even back then, Becky Lynch was in love with Charlotte Flair.

She could trace it back to their time in PCB, but, honestly, it might have even before that. Before Charlotte had even noticed her at all. Back to their training days in the WWE Performance Center before either of them had even debuted on NXT.

There was always just something about Charlotte.

And it was never her last name. At least, not to Becky. There was just this magnetism between them. Becky had felt drawn to her, even before she knew Charlotte was the daughter of Ric Flair. Back when she was just another girl training to be a wrestler.

Becky never believed in soulmates, but, if anyone could make her believe, it would be Charlotte.

Which is why it was so, so easy to let Charlotte back in when she arrived on Smackdown. Because, when Charlotte came around, it was the old Charlie. Her best friend. The woman she loved.

And Becky was weak.

She couldn’t keep her defenses up. Not when she had been dreaming of having Charlotte back ever since she left for Smackdown. The dreams that haunted her. That, no matter how hard she tried to push them back, they would find her again at night.

So, with Charlotte in front of her. Beautiful smile on her face. Standing by her side in the ring.

Becky was so overwhelmed that she forgot to even ask for an apology.

She just let Charlotte back in.

She wanted her so bad. Loved her for so long.

She was weak.

She couldn’t have stopped herself if she had even tried.

And for a while, everything was amazing. She had her best friend back. They wrestled together. Rode together. Ate together. Stayed in hotel rooms together. It was almost as if they were back in their old PCB days. Where Charlotte had never betrayed Becky. And Becky loved her so deeply she’d rip her own heart out and lay it in the middle of the ring for her.

And, after a while, things got even better for Becky. Somehow, Charlotte Flair loved Becky too. Wanted Becky too.

Being with Charlotte was like living in her dreams.

To want her for so long and finally have her?

It was the greatest feeling Becky had ever experienced. Those months together were the happiest Becky had ever been in her life. To come back to the hotel room with Charlotte. To share a bed where she got to hold Charlotte. To kiss her. To let Charlotte know with her hands and mouth how loved she was. How much Becky adored her. How perfect she was to Becky.

Becky could have almost believed she was made to do these things.

Made to be with Charlotte.

But, no matter how fiercely she loved Charlotte, Becky could never truly rid herself of that part of her that had lingered inside her since childhood. She couldn’t escape that little girl who turned on the television and watched Monday Night Raw for the first time. The girl that would ride around the neighborhood and practice cutting a promo. The one that dreamed of being cheered by thousands of fans on the grandest stage of them all.

The little girl who knew she was made to be a wrestler.

And watching her girlfriend succeed where she had failed so many times?

It just...

Everything came so easy to Charlotte. In the ring, On the mic. Backstage.

She shined so effortlessly.

And Becky never had.

When Becky would stand beside Charlotte in the ring. Watch Charlotte proudly hold that title on her shoulder.

All Becky could think about was her years of failure. The disinterested crowds in the indies. Where, no matter how much effort Becky put in, she could never win their approval. Never earn their respect like the men did.

She remembered after years of trying and failing to make it to the WWE, she was told that the WWE wasn’t looking for ‘girls like her.’ She remembers her mother telling her to stop wasting her time. Becky remembered giving up on herself.

Becky remembers being the only one of the Four Horsewomen to never win the NXT Women’s Championship. To never pull the Women’s Championship from Charlotte during their feud on Raw.

She remembered losing to Alexa Bliss. And never getting another opportunity.

Charlotte hoisted the Smackdown Women’s Title over her shoulder, and the only thing Becky could think about was failure.

And she was so tired of being the failure. The one who was almost good enough. That got so close but could never quite cross the finish line.

Becky never said any of this to Charlotte, and maybe that part is her fault.

But Charlotte never stopped to notice either.

So maybe they are both to blame.

But, either way, Becky doesn’t want to talk about whose fault anything is anymore.

Sitting in her hotel room alone, the night before WWE’s Christmas party, Becky looks around the empty room.

No Charlotte. No title.

And she thinks about which one she misses more. Which one she wants more. The answer comes much easier than Becky thought it would.

_____

“If you ever find out...let me know.”

_____

Becky knows.

 

X

 

“I’m so proud of you!”

A body collides with Bayley the second she walks through the curtain backstage after her first ever match on Raw. Adrenaline is coursing through her veins, and she is riding higher than she has ever been before.

Every moment. From the crowd’s reaction to her. To hugging Mick Foley. And beating Dana Brooke in the middle of the ring.

It was perfect.

Making her way backstage, Bayley felt like she was floating on a cloud.

Her life has never been better.

The excited shout followed by Sasha jumping into her arms is the first thing that grounds her. Instantly, she wraps her arms around Sasha’s waist, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around her. When she places Sasha back on her feet, she looks down to see the beautiful grin on Sasha’s face.

“I can’t believe that just happened,” Bayley breathes in amazement.

Bayley’s hands tighten around Sasha’s waist, trying to grasp onto something that can ground her. Pull her down from this insane high.

“You better believe it,” Sasha encourages, excitement apparent in her own voice, “I knew you could do it. You’re gonna be so amazing, Bay.”

Bayley grins adoringly down at her, “I couldn’t do it without you.”

Sasha closes her eyes for a moment, shaking her head but still smiling, “Yes, you could. You’re Bayley.”

Bayley’s chest swells at the genuine assurance. Sasha’s belief in her only reinvigorating the high she felt leaving the ring. To have that match tonight and come backstage to be met with Sasha in her arms?

Everything is perfect.

“And you’re my gir-,” Bayley almosts let the words slip before fumbling to correct herself, “my best friend.”

Bayley just barely caught herself. Ever since that night on the couch, Bayley has hardly been able to contain her newly discovered feelings for her best friend. Hearing her voice on the phone. Seeing her on FaceTime. Bayley’s feelings are practically bursting out of her.

This girl is everything to her.

She’s everything Bayley could ever want.

And Bayley doesn’t know how much longer she can hold this inside. Especially now. She’s going to be with Sasha every day. God, this is going to be amazing.

Maybe she could just...after everything tonight. The high. The rush.

The support of the crowd. Winning her debut match. Sasha waiting for her backstage.

Maybe this is all a sign.

Bayley has always believed in soulmates. In destiny. In happy endings. From her childhood, Bayley had been raised on dreams. True love conquers. Good defeats evil. The most noble, courageous knight in the land always gets the most beautiful princess.

Maybe all these things are telling her that Sasha is hers.

Her fairytale. Her storybook ending.

Bayley pulls herself from her thoughts to look down at Sasha. She feels her arms still wrapped around Bayley’s neck, and she tugs Sasha back into another hug. Sasha giggles into her ear, and Bayley commits this moment into her memory. Relishes at having Sasha in her arms like this.

Even though she’s been backstage for a few minutes, the adrenaline coursing through her veins has not let up. And she’s not letting go of it.

Bayley is telling Sasha how she feels tonight.

She’s not letting her happy ending go.

 

X

 

“You need to tell her how you feel! Talk to her!”

Bayley laughs in disbelief, “You can’t be serious, Becky. You weren’t even there! You didn’t see how she looked at me. Like I had taken a knife and stabbed her in the heart. She doesn’t want to talk to me!”

“Who cares if she doesn’t want to talk to you,” Becky yells, throwing her arms up in the air and then pointing at Bayley, “You LOVE her! And ya need to TELL. HER. THAT. She would change her mind if she just knew, Bayley! Come on!”

Bayley shakes her head firmly, “You don’t know that. I’m her best friend. I know her better than anyone else.”

“Clearly you don’t, ya dope. Everybody with one damn eye can see that lass is in love with ya!”

Bayley rolls her eyes. She stands up from the bed in Becky’s hotel room and moves to lean against the wall. Frustration has been building inside her since Sasha walked out of the holiday party earlier tonight.

God, she is such an idiot.

She should have never said any of those things to Sasha. The disrespect Bayley showed Sasha tonight. In public. In front of all their co-workers.

She is disgusted with herself.

Bayley should have known Sasha was only acting out of insecurity. She’s always worried about her place in Bayley’s life. Needed reassurance that Bayley valued her. That she wanted Sasha by her side. That she would never betray her or hurt her.

So, of course, seeing Bayley kissing Sasha’s most hated rival would draw that reaction from her. It was a betrayal of trust.

Trust that Sasha had carefully placed into Bayley’s hand. Given Bayley, because she believed Bayley would never use it against her.

And, tonight?

When all Sasha needed was reassurance that Bayley loved her. That Bayley valued her. That Bayley would put Sasha first.

Bayley took that trust and destroyed it in front of everyone.

She’s horrible.

She could never be worthy of Sasha. She deserves so much better.

Bayley is broken from her spiral by a hand waving in front of her face. Becky had tried three times to get a response from Bayley with no success. Standing up from the bed, she made her way to Bayley, placing one hand on the woman’s shoulder and waving the other in front of her face. Becky looks at her friend critically.

“Where did ya go? I’m trying to get ya to go get your girl right now, but I need ya to listen to me if it’s going to work.”

Bayley pushes Becky’s hand off her shoulder, “She’s not my girl. Trust me. I know that.”

Becky scoffs, “Then, what the hell have you been doing over the past coupl’a years? You two goofs walk around like you’re some kinda married couple.”

“Shut up, Becky,” Bayley mutters, turning her head to look away from her friend.

“Come on, B,” Becky pleads, “The lass practically has hearts coming out her eyes every time ya so much as breathe in the same room as her.”

“I’m not telling her,” Bayley stubbornly asserts.

“Why not?”

Bayley pauses and takes a deep breath. She can feel herself becoming increasingly frustrated with Becky, but she just doesn’t understand Sasha. Not like Bayley does. Becky doesn’t think. Doesn’t plan. Bayley loves her, but she’s one of the most impulsive women she has ever met. She doesn’t understand the consequences.

But Bayley has to stay calm. She won’t snap on two people she loves in the same night.

“If there is even a chance Sasha doesn’t have feelings for me, then I can’t tell her.”

Becky sighs, shoulders deflating, “Are you that scared of having your heart broken?”

Bayley shakes her head, “No. No, you don’t get it. If I tell Sasha, and she doesn’t feel the same way, then I am forcing her to break my heart.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I- I take care of Sasha. I protect her,” Bayley asserts emphatically, “My feelings are my problem. They aren’t her fault. If I tell her, then she will blame herself. If I force her to break my heart, then that will break her own too. I won’t hurt her. I would rather bear the pain of only being her friend than risk hurting Sasha. I’m the only person she’s ever really trusted, Bex. I can’t risk taking that away from her. I won’t do it.”

Becky takes in Bayley’s words, barely able to keep up. She simply stands in awe of the woman. The pure selflessness. There’s no fear in Bayley. She’s not scared of telling Sasha how she feels for her. She’s not terrified of rejection or heartbreak.

The only person she’s thinking about is Sasha.

The only concern in her mind is protecting Sasha. Sparing Sasha’s feelings. Assuring that Sasha isn’t hurting. That she’s happy.

Even when it means Bayley is hurting instead.

Bayley wants to protect Sasha. Wants Sasha to be happy above any and all else.

This might not be her place, but Becky knows what she has to do.

“What if…” Becky hesitates for a moment, unsure if what she is about to say is yet another betrayal of Sasha.

She would be violating her trust. Telling Bayley something that Sasha had never meant for her to hear. After everything Becky and the others have done to Sasha, is it really fair to betray her one more time?

“What if...?” Bayley questions.

No, she has to tell Bayley. There’s no manipulation involved this time. Just the truth. And maybe it’s not her truth, but it’s a truth Bayley needs to hear. It’s a truth that might be the only thing that could fix this.

“What if I knew something you didn’t?”

Bayley’s face contorts in confusion, “What do you mean?”

“The night of the bar. Do you remember it well?”

Bayley nods, “Yeah. We were having a good night. I was dancing with the IIconics, but then I saw Sasha falling from her seat. I went over, and she was crying. But she wouldn’t tell me what was wrong, so I just took her back to our room.”

Becky sighs. It’s time to tell the truth. Maybe for the first time since this whole thing started.

“I lied to you.”

Bayley’s eyes narrow, “What do you mean?”

“When you came up to us at the bar, you asked me why Sasha was crying. I told you I didn’t know,” Becky says, “But I did.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? Why was she crying, Becky?” Bayley questions insistently.

“We had been taking shots, and Sasha was starting to get a lot tipsier than I was. But she was fine,” Becky affirms, noticing the glare affixed on Bayley’s face at Becky allowing Sasha to get that drunk.

“She was fine,” Becky sighs, “Until she saw you dancing with Billie and Peyton.”

Bayley’s eyes soften and shift to concern, “Why was she so upset? What did she say?”

“She asked me why you didn’t love her,” Becky finally admits solemnly.

Bayley looks stricken, pain coating her features, “What do you mean? Of course, I love her. Why would she think that?”

“She said,” Becky hesitates, not wanting to hurt her friend more, “She said she loved you like I loved Charlotte. And, she asked me why you wouldn’t love her back. Bayley, she’s in love with you. She told me.”

Tears spring into Bayley’s eyes.

She shakes her head, choking out, “No. No, she was just drunk.”

“Bayley, stop,” Becky insists, “You know that’s not true. Think back to that night. Did Sasha do anything else that was out of the normal?”

Memories of that night flash back through Bayley’s mind. Sasha asking if Bayley was going to take her to bed. Speaking her name in that deep voice. Clinging to her insistently, refusing to let go. Declaring that Bayley was hers. Crying when Bayley said she loved Carmella and asking if she loved Sasha more. Begging to sleep in the same bed.

Oh no.

“Becky,” Bayley whimpers out, heart breaking at what she’s done.

Guilt begins to wash over Bayley in harsh waves. With this revelation, Bayley is finally able to see Sasha’s actions for the past few years clearly. She remembers so many times Sasha made her feelings obvious. So many things Bayley had unintentionally said that hurt Sasha.

She’s been hurting Sasha for years.

Becky notices the beginnings of a breakdown and interferes to stop it.

“Hey. Hey. Don’t cry,” Becky commands, placing her hands on Bayley’s shoulders, “Now isn’t the time. Sasha is hurting. She needs you. Bayley, you have to tell her how you feel. She needs to know.”

Bayley nods weakly, pulling back and wiping her tears away.

Bayley takes a few moments to compose herself. Steeling herself for the next few hours ahead of her. Bayley looks at Becky, confidence growing in her eyes.

“I’ll do it. I’ll tell Sasha.”

A wide grin emerges on Becky’s face.

She nudges Bayley’s shoulder encouragingly, “Alright! That’s my girl!”

Bayley laughs happily before becoming serious, “Where is Sasha?

“I don’t know where Sasha is,” Becky admits, “but I think I know someone who might.”

Becky pulls out her phone.

And she calls Charlotte.

 

X

 

As Becky walks through the crowd of wrestlers gathered for the Christmas party, she scans the room for Charlotte. After her realization last night, Becky was barely able to stop herself from rushing to Charlotte’s room. But, when saw how late it was, she decided to wait. Becky had gone months without talking to Charlotte outside the ring, and she could last one more night.

Now, though, the wait was over.

She was going to tell Charlotte what she knew. Becky had never been more sure of a decision in her life. Finally, this would put an end to the back-and-forth. Ever since Summerslam, their relationship had been a mess. And Becky was tired of them both waiting for the other person to clean it up.

She was done waiting.

If only she could just find Charlotte.

But maybe this party wasn’t the best place to have this discussion. Charlotte hadn’t responded to her messages wanting to meet up. And every time she attempts to search for Charlotte, she gets stopped by another wrestler wanting to talk.

Eventually, Becky decides to take a break and sit down for a minute. She has all night to find Charlotte, and she can’t avoid her forever. Becky walks to the drink table and finds a seat in the corner to observe the party.

And that’s when she spots Charlotte.

Immediately, Becky is on her feet, drink left abandoned on the table behind her. She makes her way quickly over to Charlotte. As she approaches her, she notices Charlotte intensely watching someone else. Her curiosity causes her to glance over, and she spots Natalya, Naomi, and Alexa whispering in another corner of the room.

Becky rolls her eyes.

Whatever they are up to isn’t her business anymore.

And however this blows up in their faces, it will not be Becky’s fault.

This night isn’t about them.

It’s about telling Charlotte her decision. Telling Charlotte what is important to Becky. What Becky has realized since losing the Smackdown belt to Asuka.

And, with that thought, Becky finally comes to a stop in front of Charlotte.

“Hey,” Becky greets, trying to pull Charlotte’s attention to her.

Charlotte startles slightly, not expecting anyone to approach her so abruptly, and turns to see Becky. Noticing Charlotte’s surprise, a sheepish grin appears on Becky’s face.

“I wanted to talk to you tonight,” Becky continues before Charlotte can return the greeting.

Charlotte frowns, “What about? Listen, the girls’ plan tonight is going to be a disaster, and I’m only here to put a stop to it.”

Becky’s eyebrows furrow, momentary curiosity distracting her from her mission. What mess are her friends trying to create this time? Becky almost allows herself to ask but reminds herself that she is not here for them.

Or any of these other people.

She’s here to talk to Charlotte.

“I just wanna talk. I’ve been thinking a lot since I lost the Smackdown title at TLC, and I want you to hear me o-”

Charlotte’s hand grabs her arm, still looking away from Becky, “Sasha is here, and Naomi is guiding her somewhere. Come on. We’ve got to interfere.”

Charlotte tries to drag Becky in their direction but Becky holds firm. Whatever mess Natalya and Naomi have concocted for themselves is their problem. It always fails anyway, and this is sure to just be another flop.

Becky needs to talk to Charlotte.

“No,” Becky asserts, “We agreed to be done with the scheming. It’s not our problem anymore.”

Charlotte shakes her head, “No, you don’t get it. They’re planning to have Ale-”

“I don’t care what they’re doing,” Becky asserts, “I care about talking to you.”

Charlotte seems to soften for a moment before her eyes fall on Sasha again, “We can talk later, but we have to-”

“Charlie, please,” Becky quietly begs, “Just give me a minute.”

At the name, Charlotte’s eyes snap back to Becky. She observes her ex-girlfriend critically, trying to decipher what’s going on with her tonight.

After their confrontation at the gas station, things had begun to shift between Becky and Charlotte. The hostilities between them ceased. There was no more insults, snipes, or passive aggressive comments from Becky. Instead, they seemed to have reached a truce.

One where they could spend a limited amount of time together without a fight breaking out.

However, it was never more than a little time. The barrier between them had been broken down, but the mess still laid at their feet. They were at a standstill, and Charlotte knew that it might never change.

But, Becky was here. Standing in front of her. Appearing completely vulnerable. Insisting that they needed to talk.

And, as much as Charlotte wanted to help Sasha, she doesn’t know if she could bear turning Becky away right now.

Just a minute. A minute with Becky and then they’ll come back for Sasha.

“Okay,” Charlotte breathes softly.

A breathless smile blossoms on Becky’s face, “Yeah, okay.”

Becky glances at all the people surrounding them before looking back to Charlotte.

“Can we find somewhere more private to talk? It feels weird having this discussion in front of everyone.”

Charlotte hesitates for a moment but nods, “Okay. But not too far. We need to come back to the party after.”

Becky nods and looks around. She spots an exit to the stairwell beside the elevator. Surely, that would be deserted. Before Charlotte can change her mind, Becky grabs her wrist and gently pulls her toward the stairwell. She pointedly keeps her head down as they walk, trying to avoid getting wrapped up in any conversation with the other wrestlers at the party.

Finally, she pushes the stairwell door open, and the two women make their way inside. The door slams closed behind them, and the silence of the empty stairwell is deafening.

“What did you want to talk about?”

There’s a slight pause as Becky thinks out her response. She appears hesitant, unsure how Charlotte will react to her.

“I-um,” Becky scratches the back of her head nervously.

Charlotte stays silent, waiting patiently for a response. In no mood to rush an answer out of Becky and potentially spark another argument.

“I’ve thought a lot,” Becky nervously starts, “About what, um, what you said at the gas station.”

Charlotte sucks in a sharp breath at the admission. The air in the room seems to get heavier as Becky revealed the topic of the conversation. Becky wanted to talk about them. Nerves begin to overcome Charlotte as well.

“You told me that I matter more to you than any belt.”

Charlotte nods shakily, already beginning to feel emotion overcoming her.

“You said we’d always be competing. That you can’t just step out of my way or lay down for me every time. And you asked if I could accept that.”

Becky speaks evenly and carefully, wanting her next words to be clear. No room for misunderstanding. Or misinterpretation. Just honesty. Becky speaks with clarity and finality.

“I will never be okay with you holding the title instead of me.”

Charlotte’s eyes close, and she sucks in a tight breath. The room seems to be getting smaller. Charlotte almost wants to pinch herself to make sure she’s not in her worst nightmare.

Refusing to look at Becky, Charlotte chokes out, “Okay. Um, that’s-that’s fine. I, um, I’m just gonna go back to the party.”

Charlotte forces a painful, fake smile on her face, “Thank you for clearing things up.”

Charlotte turns to rush out of the stairwell before she cries in front of Becky. But, this time, Becky doesn’t let her leave.

“I love you.”

Charlotte freezes right in front of the door. Why would Becky say this now? This is only double heartbreak. Becky loves her but not enough. The words only make Charlotte want to rush out of the room faster, but she can’t make herself leave. Can’t force her body to move.

“I love you, and I miss you every day. And I can’t-I can’t be okay with you holding the title,” Becky pauses before continuing, “But that wasn’t the question you asked me, Charlie. Was it?”

Charlotte flinches, almost moving to face Becky again. However, the few tears falling from her eyes increase her determination to hide. To not let Becky see how easily she can make Charlotte vulnerable.

“Charlie,” Becky pleads softly, “Please turn around.”

Once again, Charlotte seems to lose control of her body at Becky’s call. She has enough presence to wipe the few tears away before facing Becky again. Charlotte makes no move to close the distance between them, but Becky moves until she’s within reach of Charlotte.

“What did you ask me?”

Charlotte closes her eyes, trying to remember, but failing, “I don’t know.”

Becky nods, “Well, I remember. You asked if I could accept that we might always be competing. And I wasn’t sure. Because, for so long, no one viewed me as competition. I was just the sidekick.”

Charlotte shakes her head firmly, “You were NEVER just the side-”

“No,” Becky stops her, “Let me get this out. Everyone thought I was the sidekick. And when I got that chance at Summerslam, to be more than the sidekick, and I lost? I just- something came over me. I couldn’t be the sidekick anymore. And, when I finally had the spotlight on me? The crowd behind me. The belt on my shoulder. I couldn’t let it go. I had to keep it. Because if I let it go, then I would just go back to being the afterthought.”

At this point, Becky and Charlotte have both began to cry. There is nothing Charlotte wants more than to interrupt Becky and reassure her, but she knows Becky needs to say this. Charlotte can wait. Can let Becky have this moment.

“I couldn’t let it go,” Becky chokes out through tears, “but- but it came at the cost of letting you go. And I thought I was okay with that. That I could do it. But when you told me you still loved me, after everything, I was just- I was so confused. And I didn’t know what I wanted. I still couldn’t let go.”

Becky lets out a sob. Charlotte reaches forward, grabbing her hand. Becky intertwines their fingers. She takes a step forward until her forehead is resting against Charlotte’s. When they make contact, Becky seems to breathe easier and calm down.

“But I-,” Becky pauses, taking a deep breath, “I can let go now. I have the answer to your question. I can accept it, Charlotte. I won’t ever be okay with not being on top, but I can accept that we’ll compete. We can compete to be the best in the ring, and I can love you at the same time.”

A small gasp leaves Charlotte at the confession. A bright, relieved smile appears on her face. Happy tears beginning to fall from both of them. Charlotte, at Becky’s confession. And Becky, from the relief of finally speaking her truth.

“I love you, Charlie,” Becky whispers, “Say you still love me too. Please, take me back.”

Charlotte nods her head, smile blinding, “I never stopped loving you. No matter what.”

The women continue to smile at each other, relishing in this moment. Neither believing they could ever have this back again. Becky’s hand reaches up, tucking a piece of Charlotte’s hair behind her ear. Her smile fades slightly as her eyes fall to Charlotte’s lips.

The moment becomes heavier and more intense. The two haven’t kissed since the morning of Summerslam. Becky looks at Charlotte with questioning eyes, silently asking for permission. Charlotte nods, and both women move closer.

Just as their lips brush, the door of the stairwell bursts open.

The two women jerk apart at the sudden, loud interruption. They turn to see Sasha standing in front of the two girls. She looks more upset than either girl has ever seen before. Immediately, Charlotte gets a sick feeling in her stomach. While she was relishing in having Becky back, she was also allowing Sasha to get her heart broken.

Regret at her selfishness washes over her, and she moves away from Becky to meet Sasha.

Sasha’s eyes had widened upon spotting the two women, and she looked back at the door. Clearly contemplating running back out of there.

“Sasha,” Charlotte asks worriedly, “What’s going on? What happened?”

Sasha chewed her lip, staring hard at the wall beside her. Becky looked on in concern, having no clue what the plans for tonight were, but she now wishes she had let Charlotte interfere.

“Where’s Bayley?” Charlotte asks quietly.

Sasha sucks in a sharp breath at the question and shakes her head. The girl wraps her arms around herself and backs up against the wall, shrinking away from them. Charlotte watches her actions worriedly, quickly deducing what had likely happened. Alexa kissed Bayley, and Sasha blew up.

And, from the looks of it, there wasn’t a confession. Just anger. And Bayley isn’t chasing after her.

Charlotte looks back at Becky, asking a silent question. Becky thinks for a moment but nods resolutely.

“Sasha,” Charlotte sighs, “I know what happened. I know Alexa kissed Bayley.”

Sasha’s eyes connect with her instantly.

She rushes out, “How do you know that?”

“We’ve got something to tell ya, lass. Something we’re not too proud of,” Becky admits solemnly.

Becky opens her mouth to start the emotional confrontation, but Charlotte places a hand on her arm. Before Becky can confess to Sasha, Charlotte pulls her to the side. Both of them aren’t needed for this, and Bayley is out there alone.

“Bex, I got Sasha. You need to get Bayley out of that party,” Charlotte murmurs.

Becky nods. Her eyes linger on Charlotte for a moment, disappointment lingers at their moment being interrupted. There is still so much left unsaid, but they’ll fix it.

Becky knows they will.

But Becky has to find Bayley first.

Then, she can talk to Charlotte.

 

X

 

Bayley looks in the mirror of her hotel’s bathroom. When Sasha and her arrived back to their hotel room for the night, doubts had started to overcome Bayley. It had been hours since her match on Raw, and the adrenaline had finally started to fade away. And, with it, some of the confidence and assurance dissipated too.

Doubts began to swirl through Bayley’s mind, and she had hastily excused herself to the bathroom. Now, she was fighting with herself. She wanted to tell Sasha her feelings because she’s never shied away from emotion. She’s never been the type to hide her feelings.

In fact, Bayley is the exact opposite.

If Bayley feels something, then she puts it out there.

Holding back has never made sense to Bayley because it’s just so much easier to let go.

And that’s why Bayley wanted to tell Sasha. Because it was her instinct. Her nature. Sasha was beautiful and intelligent and passionate, and she should know just how deeply Bayley believes those things.

But, there’s one thing holding Bayley back.

One thing making her hesitant.

She doesn’t know how Sasha will receive the confession.

Even though Sasha tries to hide it, she’s a very emotional person. She likes to hold hands, cuddle up together, and exchange ‘I love you’s more times in a day than Bayley can count. But she only does those things with someone she trusts.

And Sasha doesn’t trust a lot.

Bayley thinks that, outside her family, she might be the only person Sasha trusts in the world.

And that’s the reason Bayley is nervous about telling Sasha. Because, on the road, Bayley is the only person Sasha’s really got. The only one Sasha allows herself to be close with, to open up to. She’s only ever really comfortable with Bayley.

And that, while making Bayley feel special, also makes her protective. Sasha allows Bayley to be the only one in her corner, and Bayley has to be worthy of that. Has to defend that. To make sure Sasha knows how grateful she is. Sasha lets Bayley in, and Bayley stands by her side.

Because Sasha pretends to be uncaring, but she’s not.

She’s one of the most sensitive people Bayley knows.

So, if Bayley tells Sasha she’s in love with her, what will that do to her if she doesn’t feel the same way?

And, the more Bayley thinks about it, the more she thinks that maybe telling her might not be a good idea. Because all of that trust and safety and comfort Bayley had been building up over the past year? That would all slip away.

Sasha would feel pressured or obligated to put distance between them in some attempt to spare Bayley’s feelings. She wouldn’t cuddle up to Bayley or hold Bayley’s hand without constantly worrying if she was leading Bayley on.

She wouldn’t feel safe.

And, in what world is it fair for Bayley to potentially take away Sasha’s one source of safety and security on the road?

Just to share a feeling.

A sudden knock on the door startles Bayley out of her thoughts.

“Bay,” Sasha calls from outside the door, “Are you alright? I’m about to go to sleep.”

“Yeah,” Bayley replies shakily, “Everything’s fine, Sash. I’ll be out in a second.”

“Okay, I’ll wait up for you.”

Bayley looks in the mirror one last time, giving herself a pep talk. She’s just going to walk out there and make her decision. She has never been good thinking out her decisions. It’s always been better to listen to her heart. So, that’s what she’s doing. She’ll walk out there, see Sasha, and know what she has to do.

She’ll understand the best thing for them.

The best way to take care of Sasha.

Bayley walks away from the countertop, twists the knob, and leaves the bathroom. She moves along the hotel floor until she comes in sight of the bed. Sasha sits on the edge of their shared bed, smiling at the sight of Bayley.

Bayley’s heart flutters, and her decision is made.

She makes her way over to Sasha silently, standing in front of her. She takes both of Sasha’s hands within her own, gently stroking her right hand with her thumb.

Now or never.

Bayley takes a deep breath, “Sash-”

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Sasha lets out suddenly, breaking Bayley’s train of thought.

“Huh?”

“You’re here on Raw. With me. And now we get to ride together. Stay together. Fight together.”

Sasha’s gaze softens as she explains herself. She looks at Bayley as if she is in awe of the woman. Like she can’t believe Bayley is actually here.

“Ha,” Bayley chuckles nervously, “Yeah, it’s pretty great. But, I guess I need to apologize to whoever I stole you from. Who were you riding with before?”

Sasha seems suddenly withdrawn and begins to nervously play with Bayley’s fingers. Bayley watches her patiently, knowing Sasha will answer her eventually.

“I-,” Sasha says carefully, “I didn’t really, um, ride with anyone before. After Team B.A.D. ended, I just- I wasn’t close enough to anyone. I didn’t have anyone I wanted to ride with.”

Bayley feels a rush of sympathy wash over her and concern takes over. Sasha never told her that. Bayley was sharing stories about her ride buddies for months while Sasha had no one. Anger flares up inside Bayley at the thought of Sasha driving alone every week. Why would no one on the roster ask Sasha to ride with them?

Sasha is amazing.

Anyone would be lucky to ride or room with her.

“But,” Sasha continues softly, “It’s okay now because I have you. You’re here.”

Bayley’s eyebrows furrow. Her mind flashes back to all her thoughts in the bathroom. Her doubts. Her worries.

Bayley is all Sasha has. Bayley closes her eyes tightly for an instant, disappointment washing over her.

“Yeah, I’m here. And I’m never going anywhere. You’re safe, Sash.”

Sasha wraps her arms around Bayley’s waist from her position on the bed, leaning her head against Bayley’s chest. Instinctively, Bayley reciprocated the embrace, resting her head on top of Sasha’s. She wraps her arms around Sasha’s shoulder, moving one hand up into her hair.

She feels Sasha sigh happily against her.

Sasha is safe. She’s happy this way.

Bayley won’t ever take that from her.

No matter how much she wants more.

 

X

 

Bayley walked down the hallway alone, having told Becky she had to do this herself. Becky had easily agreed and texted Charlotte to find out which room Sasha was in. And, now, Bayley stood in front of the door, pacing back and forth nervously.

After years of holding back, finally, she had the assurance to tell Sasha how she felt.

This was her moment.

But, after their fight, would Sasha still feel the same?

Had Bayley pushed things too far in their fight? Pushed Sasha away?

She forces herself to think back to her conversation with Becky earlier. To remember all of the moments over the past months and years where Sasha had been so obvious about her feelings. And, if Sasha felt half as much as Bayley felt for her, then no fight could ever change that.

Bayley nods to herself, confidence growing. Before she can change her mind, she hastily knocks on the hotel room door.

After a few long moments, the door swings open, and Sasha is standing on the other side.  
She looks exhausted, and her eyes are red-rimmed as if she had recently been crying. Worry and regret course through Bayley knowing that she is probably the cause of this all.

For so long, Bayley had been trying to protect Sasha.

But she didn’t know that she had been the one hurting her all along.

She feels so stupid, and she knows she has to fix this now.

“Hi.”

“What are you doing here, Bay?”

Bayley looks at Sasha pleadingly, “Please let me in.”

Sasha looks hesitant and guarded. As if Bayley could leap forward and attack her at any moment. The regret in Bayley’s chest stings, having not seen Sasha feel anything but comfort around her in months. She can’t close the door on Bayley now.

Not when they are so close.

“Please, Sash. Please.”

Sasha looks at Bayley for a long moment before pulling the door wider and stepping to the side. Bayley lets out a relieved breath and walks into the room. The door is closed behind her, and the two walk over into the center of the room.

“Thank you,” Bayley says, sincere and grateful that Sasha is not entirely shutting her out.

“You’re welcome,” Sasha mutters, eyes carefully trained away from Bayley.

An awkward silence descends over the room. Bayley has no clue how to start this conversation, while Sasha didn’t expect Bayley’s arrival at all. Bayley gazes at Sasha longingly, no longer trying to conceal what she had felt for so long.

She nervously starts, “Sasha, I’m sorry for what I said at the party.”

She recognizes a small nod from Sasha, who still can’t seem to meet Bayley’s eyes. Noticing that Sasha isn’t responding, Bayley presses forward.

“I just...we hadn’t fought for months. And for weeks I’ve felt this growing distance between us. I felt you withdrawing from me. Putting your guards back up. And, even when we were fighting last year, you didn’t retreat. You didn’t run away from me. We were fighting, but you stayed. So when you disappeared after our fight in the locker room, I was terrified.”

Tears appear in Sasha’s eyes, and one makes its way down her face. Bayley feels the overwhelming urge to wipe it away, but Sasha beats her to it.

“And you wouldn’t talk to me. You started shutting me out. And I was just so scared, Sasha,” Bayley chokes out, “I was so scared that I was going to lose you. And I don’t know if I could handle that.”

Sasha’s head jerks up at the statement, finally connecting her eyes with Bayley’s. Immediately, Bayley recognizes the vulnerability in her eyes and smiles gently at her. Relief washes over her at the signal that Sasha is letting her back in. She still hasn’t said anything, but she’s not closing herself off anymore.

“I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that. Especially at a party in front of so many people. It was disrespectful and embarrassing. You deserve so much better than that.”

Sasha shakes her head minutely, “I started it. I freaked out.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Bayley answers firmly, “You were emotional, and you had every reason to be. Now, I-”

“I didn’t have a reason to be. I don’t have a single good reason to have been acting the way I have over the past couple of months, and I won’t ever understand how you put up with me,” Sasha says regretfully.

Bayley, instinctually wanting to comfort a wounded Sasha, steps forward and gently grabs her hand.

“I don’t put up with you. Sasha, you mean so much to me. I’m lucky to be your best friend.”

Bayley notices Sasha flinch slightly at the label and wonders how many times she’s missed that exact reaction before. Her heart pangs at the thought. She could have made Sasha so happy for years, but all she had done was hurt her.

“Sasha,” Bayley begins insistently, “I need to tell you something. But before I do, I need you to forgive me. I don’t want us to be in the middle of a fight when I say this, alright?”

Sasha’s eyebrows furrow at the statement but she nods, “I forgive you, Bay. As long as you forgive me.”

Bayley smiles, and her thumbs slides gently over the back of Sasha’s hand. She looks at her lovingly, eyes bright in anticipation of the next few moments. She’s waited for this day for so long. Hoped and dreamed, but never really believed.

Until now.

“When we were in our room the other day, you said something to me,” Bayley speaks softly, extremely careful with her words, “You said something that I didn’t understand at the time, but I haven’t stopped thinking about it.”

Bayley swallows tightly before continuing.

“You said that I didn’t know what you need.”

Slight panic appears in Sasha’s eyes at the words. She attempts to pull her hand back but Bayley keeps her grasp on Sasha.

“It’s okay,” Bayley says soothingly, “just let me finish.”

Sasha nods nervously, posture more tense than before. She’s clearly nervous, beginning to become scared Bayley might have finally realized Sasha’s feelings. And was about to turn her down gently, in a way only Bayley could.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Because, over these past few years, the thing that always mattered the most to me is you. And protecting you. Taking care of you. Making sure you were happy and safe. And, apparently, all this time, I didn’t know what you needed. I wasn’t paying enough attention. Even though some days I felt like the only thing I did was pay attention to you. And, on those days, it was the only thing I wanted to do.”

Sasha’s eyes had softened and tears again sprung to the surface. This time Bayley didn’t hesitate to wipe them away, gaze so soft on the woman she loved.

“I didn’t know it at the time, but you have been the most important person in my life since our first phone call. And, every single day since, I have fallen more in love with you,” Bayley admits, a serene calmness settling over her at the admission.

After the words, Sasha’s hand clenches around Bayley’s in a vice grip. A gasp escapes and more tears begin to fall from her eyes. She releases a sudden sob. Bayley cups her cheek and brings their foreheads together.

“It’s okay,” Bayley whispers, voice so gentle it can barely be heard, “It’s alright. Don’t cry, baby.”

Sobs wrack Sasha’s body as she attempts to process words she believed she’d never hear. A confession that she had been desperate to hear for so long but never thought would come. The words had haunted her dreams for years. Came alive in all her fantasies. She had wanted to hear those words from Bayley so deeply for so long that she thought finally hearing them might kill her.

Sobs continue to leave Sasha as Bayley attempts to soothe the woman. She maneuvers them so both can sit on the bed, Sasha crying into Bayley’s side.

“Hey. Hey,” Bayley whispers, “It’s all okay. I love you, Sasha. I love you so much.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” Sasha hoarsely chokes out, voice strained after a night of crying.

“No, don’t be sorry. It’s okay. I’m here.”

Sasha’s grip on Bayley becomes a little more desperate at the words, a reminder that Bayley could leave. Or that this could all be some kind of dream. Sasha pulls her head out from the crook of Bayley’s neck to look at her. To make sure this is all real.

She reaches forward and cups Bayley’s cheek with her right hand. Strokes her thumb carefully across the smooth skin. Her cries ebb away as her focus shifts to the woman in front of her. Bayley closes her eyes and grins, while Sasha looks on in awe.

“I love you too,” Sasha whispers reverently, “I’ve loved you for so long, Bay. You have no idea.”

Bayley chuckles, a feeling of exuberance and glee filling her. She leans forward until their foreheads touch. They are only inches apart, close enough for Bayley to feel Sasha’s breath ghosting over her.

“Bayley,” Sasha whispers shakily.

Bayley offers no words but hums happily.

“Can I kiss you?”

The grin on Bayley’s face widens and a happy laugh erupts from her. Sasha waits patiently for an answer when Bayley leans forward until their lips are almost brushing. Sasha’s breathing increases and a renewed nervousness appears. She’s wanted this for years, and Bayley is so close. Her chest feels heavy, weighed down by everything that has unfolded over the past few minutes. If Bayley would just say something- Sasha just wants-maybe she can finally have-

Suddenly, a pair of lips capture her own, and Sasha’s mind goes blank. All thoughts and worries and doubts vanish from her mind in an instant. The only thing she can feel is Bayley. Bayley’s lips moving gently against hers. Bayley’s hand moving to rest on her waist.

Sasha whimpers into the kiss and presses in harder, not wanting to let go of this moment yet. She’s wanted this- wanted Bayley. And, now?

Bayley is here.

And Bayley’s kissing her.

Sasha inhales deeply through her nose, not willing to let their lips part for a second to take a breath. Sasha can feel the desperation in her every movement, and she’s positive Bayley can feel it too. Her hands move up into Bayley’s hair and tug the woman closer. Bayley eagerly complies, a muffled groan leaving her throat at the sharp tug of her hair.

After a few more seconds, Bayley pulls back from the kiss. Sasha’s eyes remained closed, trying to regain enough function to think.

She darts forward before Bayley can escape, pressing their lips together again. Bayley makes a surprised sound but, like always, goes wherever Sasha decides to take her.

Finally, Sasha slowly breaks the kiss. Still, her eyes remain closed, and she’s got a dreamy smile on her face. A matching grin is on Bayley, whose eyes open first. She stares at Sasha for a moment, allowing her eyes to linger unguarded for the first time. She looks over all of Sasha’s features. Her eyelashes, her cheeks, her nose, her lips.

More so than she’s ever allowed herself to believe before, this truly is the most beautiful woman in the world.

Kissing Sasha for the first time felt like discovering the most valuable, magnificent treasure that had ever been hidden.

Bayley rests their foreheads together again, “I love you, Sasha. I love you.”

Sasha nods assuredly, still a little hazy and attempting to ground herself after the kiss, “I love you too. So damn much.”

 

X

 

 

Bayley has said before that Sasha Banks was a puzzle. There’s a clear picture that can be formed. All the pieces were sitting right in front of you. They were just scrambled. But, if you worked hard enough, you could fit them all together. You would see the full picture, and it would be beautiful.

For so long, Bayley had felt like she was missing one piece.

Everything was put together. The picture was almost complete.

Except for a single piece in the middle.

Bayley searched for so long, but it seemed lost. She thought she’d never find it, and she’d have to be satisfied with an almost complete puzzle. An almost complete understanding of Sasha Banks.

But, all that time, Bayley had never guessed that maybe.

Just maybe.

The piece that had been missing all along was her.

 

X

 

The next afternoon, Natalya is at the gym. She’s just finished up an hour-long workout and removes her phone from her bag and notices she has a text.

One new message.

From Bayley.

Worry strikes her, and she quickly unlocks the phone. She opens up the message, trepidation at the content making her hesitate before tapping the screen.

“Thank you for what you did. I forgive you. And my girlfriend will too. She’s just a little stubborn sometimes.”


End file.
